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Carol M Creasey

                                  Computers, do we  need them?

When computers first came out,  it seemed to be mainly in shops and offices, so I didn’t feel it affected me, but how wrong could I be?

Soon they were being introduced into schools, and little Johnie didn’t take long to learn the skills , whilst older folk like myself became increasingly aware of the fact that technology was moving on with a gallop and leaving us behind,

So I took the  plunge and never looked back.  Surfing the net is so interesting, and a very quick way of gaining more knowledge. No longer do I have to queue in the post office to tax my car. Bills can be paid on-line, tickets booked, and everything seems to be much cheaper that in the shops.

Emails cut down the need to send letters, and are so much  quicker, and now I have my lap top, I can do all this and more from the comfort of my armchair.

Computers are wonderful for people who have communication problems. Typing something is so much easier than saying it when standing in front of someone. Anyone with a speech difficulty or a stammer finds a computer a much easier way of communicating, and this helps to build their confidence. Similarly anyone who finds it difficult to speak to strangers, or is shy, will really benefit from having a computer.

The only downside that I can see, is  having a computer may make children less active, but that is where mum comes in, to enforce the rules and guidelines of how long they can use it for, and to check that they are going on suitable sites. With basic  commonsense like this, everyone can benefit from using a computer.