What can computers do

What can computers do?

Computers and microchips have become part of our everyday lives : we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we read magazines which have been produced on computer, and we pay bills prepared by computers, etc. Just picking up a telephone and dialing a number involves the use of a sophisticated computer system, as does making a flight reservation or borrowing a book from a library.

Everyday, we see many computers that come to life the moment they are switched on – e.g. calculators, the timer in the microwave oven, or the programmer inside the TV set or the VCR (video cassette recorder) – all of which use chip technology.


Each time you turn your computer on, it is capable of doing almost anything you ask. It is an electronic filing cabinet which manages large collections of data such as customers’ lists, accounts, and many other things. It is a magical typewriter that allows you to type and print any kind of document – letters, memos, and résumés. It is a personal communicator that enables you to interact with other computers and with people around the world. If you like electronic entertainment, you can even use your PC to play computer games.