Since their first appearance on earth, men have gathered information and have attempted to pass useful ideas to other men. 46.The carving of word-pictures on the walls of ancient caves as well as hieroglyphics on stone tablets represent some of men's earliest efforts to convey information.Scenes of hunting, maps of battles, and the stories of heroes were put down for all to see.
But as civilizations grew more complex, better methods of communication were needed. The written word, carrier pigeons, the telegraph, andmany other devices carried ideas faster and faster from man to man. 47.In recent years one type of machine, the electronic computer, has become increasingly important in the lives of all the people in the industrialized nations of the world.Computers are now widely used aids for communication, calculation, and other activities. Their effect becomes more important every day.
Man has always been interested in extending the range of his senses and the power of his mind. Through the years, he has invented many instruments to help him see better and understand more. 48.The telescope, for example, was invented to allow him to look at faraway objects. To see the very small things in the world, the microscope was developed.Radio, telephone, and telegraph are means by which man has extended the range of his senses of hearing and speech.
While developing his power of thought, man first began to identify and count objects. He began to ask the questions “What is it?” and “How many?”. It was a long time ago that this numbering and comparing of things began.
49.New ways of helping with counting and recording information evolved. Marks of different kinds were taken to represent certain quantities, and other marks were taken to represent relationships between quantities.
New devices to aid in the manipulation of numbers were developed.
Electronic computers are among the fastest and most useful instruments for sorting and comparing in use today. 50.Computers provide the means for greater speed and accuracy in working with ideas than had previously been possible. With the development of these new tools, it is as if man has suddenly become a millionaire of the mind.
Although man has been growing mentally richer ever since he started to think, the electronic computer allows and will continue to allow him to perform tremendous “mental” tasks in a relatively short time. Great scientists of the past produced ideas which were the basis for great advances, but their ideas sometimes had to wait for years before they were understood sufficiently well to be of practical use. With the computer, the ideas of today’s scientists can be studied, tested, distributed, and used more rapidly than ever before.
51.Old lines and methods of communication do not work easily or efficiently with as much information as we have now. The repeated actions of preparing， sorting, filling, distributing, and keeping track of records and publications can be as troublesome as calculating. Errors occur because men grow tired and can be distracted.
The basic job of computers is the processing of information. For this reason computers can be defined as devices which accept information, perform mathematical or logical operations with the information, and then supply the results of these operations as new information.
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