Why Study Computers?

• Learning about computers makes you a knowledgeable consumer.
• Understanding computers allows you to use current and future technology.
• Knowledge of computers may increase career options.
• When you understand computers you gain awareness of ethical and legal implications.
• By learning about computers impacts you beyond your own life.
• Understanding computers helps you avoid hackers and viruses.
• Computer knowledge protects your privacy.
• Understanding computers identifies privacy and security risks.
• Learning about computers allows you to use the Internet wisely and avoid online annoyances.
• Computer skills help maintain your computer.
• Computer knowledge helps you make good purchase decisions.
• Understanding computers allows you to integrate the latest technology
• Information Technology (IT) includes information handling and retrieval.
• IT includes computers, telecommunications, and software deployment.
• The seven fastest-growing jobs are computer-related.
• Computers are used in business, retail, delivery, and the arts.
• Computers are essential for computer gaming, education, law enforcement, the legal system, and agriculture.
• Automotive technology, medicine, and the sciences all use computers.
• Data mining (data analytics) is used in business, retail, and delivery.
• Data mining helps businesses respond to consumer buying patterns.
• Data mining opens the door to more detail.
• Data mining is a process of searching amounts of data for patterns.
• Package tracking utilizes computers.
• Forecasting models are made using computers.

Arts

• Computers help create websites.
• Computers are used to digitize dance movements.
• Computers produce computer-generated art.
• Art museums enhance visitors' experiences with computers.

Gaming

• Computers are used for design and programming.
• 3D animation and VR utilize computers.

Education

• Computers help with instructional software.
• Distance education utilizes computers.
• Research is now computerized.
• Virtual field trips and PDA-guided tours are enabled by computers.

Digital Home

• Home systems can be controlled from your computer and via the Internet.
• Entertainment, security, and lights can be controlled by digital home systems.
• Heating and cooling can be controlled by digital home systems.
• Appliances can be controlled by digital home systems.

Law Enforcement

• Computerized law enforcement systems can search databases.
• Computerized law enforcement systems predict criminal activity.
• Employing computer forensics is an important aspect of law enforcement.

Legal System

• Surveillance cameras in the legal system capture crimes.
• Forensic animations based on evidence are utilized in the legal system.
• High-tech courtrooms, handheld wireless devices, and online legal libraries are all used in the legal system.

Agriculture

• Computer programs manage complex farming businesses and information systems.
• RFID tags track and record animals in cases of diseases.
• Computerized sensors monitor conditions and activate equipment to protect crops.

Automotive Technology

• Environmental trends and government regulations cause change in automotive technology.
• Computerized sensors and CPU systems control vehicles.
• Consumer demand for computerized subsystems is changing technology.

Medicine

• Patient simulators and surgical robots are important in medicine.
• Digital modeling of human anatomy is essential for medicine.
• Technological solutions to physical problems in medicine.
• Identity chips are utilized in medicine.

Nanotechnology

• Nano: Prefix stands for one-billionth.
• Nanoscience: Study of molecules and nanostructures.
• Nanostructures: Range in size from 1 to 100 nanometers.
• Nanotechnology: Science of the use of nanostructures.

Psychology

• Affective Computing relates to emotion or tries to influence emotion.
• Emotional social prosthesis (ESP) devices are used.
• Biped (two-legged) robots are used.

Sports

• Computers can help with improved training, timing, and scorekeeping.
• Data storage and statistics are kept by computers in sports.
• Smart balls sense when soccer goals are scored.
• Digital referees use computers.
• The digital society faces challenges of privacy risks, personal data collection, and e-mail monitoring.
• Copyright infringement is a challenge of the digital society.
• Reliance on computers for security is a challenge of the digital society.
• The digital divide is a challenge to the digital society.

Technology on the World Stage

• Social networking can fuel social unrest.
• Social networking tools enable groups to connect and exchange ideas.
• Crisis-mapping tools collect and map information and make it publicly available.

Sciences

• Supercomputers create simulations in astronomy, meteorology, and archaeology.
• Marketing technology helps to decide what to purchase.
• It helps in the actual buying process of goods and services.
• Marketing includes QR codes, location-aware price comparison tools, and mobile coupons (mob coupons).
• Key issues related to technology and ethics include intellectual property rights, privacy, e-commerce, free speech, and computer abuse.

Personal Ethics

• A person's ethics develops from family, cultural bias, religious affiliation, and life experiences.

Artificial Intelligence

• Central goals of AI are natural language processing and perception.
• Knowledge representation, planning, problem-solving, and learning are all goals of AI.
• Major AI developments include expert systems, artificial neural networks, and advances in machine learning.
• Computers are used to support ethical conduct through commercial applications in agriculture, land management, energy, and construction industries.

Technology in a Global Society

• Social networking tools enable groups to connect and exchange ideas.
• Crisis-mapping tools collect and map information.

Technology Connects Us with Others

• Technology impacts how we consume with marketing.
• This includes influencers and crowdsourcing.
• The sharing economy, Zip Car, Citi Bike, and collaborative consumption are all part of the technology economy.