Tech Topic Connection

    The topic I chose is the history and future of computers. Now I have read and know the history of computers; however, I am very much interested in the future of them. I have witnessed the advances in computer technology during the last 20 years, and it is vast in terms of computational performance. However, I would like to know what might happen in the next ten years. I am not going to say 20 or even 30. I am interested in 10 years; will we see similar improvements as I have witnessed in the last ten years? Will it be exponentially more significant and better as we advance in technology every year? I fear that we have reached a point where computer technology will still improve and advance but not as much as 20 years ago. I sure hope it will be an immense improvement and faster, but I would like to find the answer to this or come up with a reasonable prediction.

    The future of computers topic relates a lot to what I have learned in this class. It relies on programming languages' advancements, hardware parts such as the CPU and RAM, operating systems, and network/internet speeds. Programming languages will be simpler than before and become less complicated. For example, the app I have created in this class using Scratch is significantly less intimidating than writing actual code in Java. Also, the Java programming language is more manageable than assembly language. You can see from these examples how more accessible programming has become. CPUs will become smaller and faster, and RAM will become quicker and cheaper. Operating systems will become more secure, more complex yet more comfortable to navigate, and include more features that make our lives easier. Network/internet speeds will be faster, and prices will be more affordable. All of these advancements will help in healthcare, education, sales industries, and more.

    Applications are critical because they need to be written efficiently and securely and do what it is supposed to do without unnecessary errors. For example, an application that handles the patient’s information and stores it in the server would need to be accurate and deliver/save that information securely to the target place. It also needs to be well optimized and run smoothly without unnecessary delays due to poorly written code—same thing in retail and sales, for example. A program will need to be written to handle sensitive customer information and payment and billing information. However, many applications may encounter errors, especially after an update as a part of the code may get disconnected. The newly added/updated code is not implemented well with the older code that parts of it were left untouched. That is why in the majority of applications, you may find a “report a problem” button so that you may let the developer know of the issue and fix it in a future update.

As technologies advance, software and operating systems become more secure, but so does viruses and hackers. It is essential to secure the network and devices at home, office, hospital, etc. Protecting them may include installing anti-virus software, firewall protection, and using a Virtual Private Network.