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COMPUTER REVOLUTION
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COMPUTER REVOLUTION

       Rapid computer science development and it’s scientific principles formation began at the 40-s of 20-th century, as the electronics and then the microelectronics became the technical basis of computer science and the achievements in the field of artificial intelligence were put into basis of computer architecture development.

      Before this time for almost 500 years all the calculus tools came to simple calculus devices for arithmetic operations. Almost all the invented tools were based on cog-wheel to fix decimal notation 10 digits.

      First sketch of 13-digit cog-wheel adder was drawn by Leonardo da Vinci at one of his diaries in about 1492.

      But 50 years ago people hadn’t even heard of computers, and today we cannot imagine life without them. Computer technology is the fastest-growing industry in the world. The first computer was the size of minibus and weighed a ton. Today, its job can be done by a chip the size of a pin head. And the revolution is still going on.

     Very soon we’ll have computers that we’ll wear on wrists or even in our glasses and earnings. Such wearable computers are being developed now.

     Japan’s biggest mobiles-phone company released its cleverest product – a mobile phone that allows you to stuff the Internet as well as make calls. People are already using the phone to check the news headlines, follow the stock market and download the latest jokes. Soon they will be able to buy cinema tickets and manage their bank accounts.

      The next generation of computers will be able to talk and even think for themselves. They will contain electronic “neural networks”. Of course, they’ll be still a lot simpler that human brains, but it will be a great step forward. Such computers will help it diagnose illnesses, find materials, understand and control space travel.

     Computer revolution is changing our life and our language  too. We are constantly making up new words or giving new meanings to old ones. Most of computer terms are born in Silicon Valley, the world’s top computer-science center.

     Humanity is not a simple sum of people. The intellectual and physical power is defined not only by sum of human muscles and brain, but also by human created material and cultural wealth. In this meaning, neither computer no set of computers, that are the results of human activity can’t be wiser, than humanity as a whole, because at such evaluation computer is compared to the whole humanity with all tools and of course with computer being created. Its worth to note, that the propriety of material and cultural values estimation belongs to human, so, the computer can’t overcome the human also in this meaning. So, as for pure information scope, computers not only can, but also must overcome human ability, and in some narrow scopes it’s the case now. But in social scope computers always remain no more, than human tools and assistants.

     As for analog tools, the calculation precision remains low, the intellectualization failures and it defeats in competition with digital tools. Time will show, if it is temporary or ultimate situation. (2572 çíàêè)

1 Say which statements are true or false. If they are false correct them.

   1 Rapid computer science development and its scientific principles formation began as    the electronics.

  2 Fifty years ago people used computers in different fields.

  3 The next generation of computers will be able to sing songs.

  4 Computer can be wiser than humanity as a whole.

  5 In social scope computers always remain no more, than human tools and assistant.

 2 Answer the following questions:

  1 When did computer science development and its scientific principles begin?

  2 Can you describe the first computer?

  3 What computers are being developed now?

  4 What role will computers play in future? Can they be wiser then humanity as a whole?

  5 What advantages and disadvantages of computer revolution can you name?



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