Jackie Herren
(5), 3CA
Advanced Composition
August 19, 1996
Technology significantly shapes the way we live
today, and is no less of a significant influence than religion or government
for determining how we will live tomorrow.
The interesting aspect about the influence of technology is that it is
controlled by a much larger group of "leaders" than religion or
government. These "leaders"
include both individuals and businesses, together known as the consumer. The consumer controls what will be on the
market by making the demand for it. Any
computer software store holds the evidence which makes that demand a reality. The evidence is the overwhelming amount
of IBM software compared to Macintosh
software. The reason for this
ever-increasing gap of products available for an IBM-compatible computer and
those available for a Macintosh is that
the consumer demands software for the IBM, not the Macintosh. This example shows how technology available
in the future will be a direct result of the demands consumers put on the
computer companies today. The two
demands which will have the most impact on what will be produced are the needs
for affordability and for a user-friendly product.
Consumers want a product at an affordable
price, whether it is for at home or for their business. However, new technology, especially in the
area of computers, is usually not affordable.
The consumer has the power to make it affordable, by demanding that
product. For example, a personal
computer ten years ago sold for about $3,000.00. Now, because of the demand consumers have
made in the last ten years, a new personal computer can be purchased for around
$1200.00. Consumers also have the choice
to buy a used PC, in which case they will pay around $600.00 - $800.00.
The reason this drop in cost has occurred has
to do with supply and demand. Supply and
demand has a large influence on the prices of products that use new
technology. Computer companies wouldn't
make, or supply, thousands of personal computers until a demand was made. Through the late 1980's and early 1990's the
demand was heard by the computer companies, and personal computers went into
mass-production. It seems pretty
simple. The consumer makes a demand, and
the PC goes into mass-production. One
step is missing though. There has to be
a reason behind the consumer's demands.
Something had to happen to spark the interest of millions of people
around the world. This
"something" was the computer companies made the PC easy to use. They made the software easy to use, which
made the computer a convenience to many consumers. Consumers began to create documents using the
word processing software available instead of a typewriter, keeping inventory
on a spreadsheet instead manually in hard-to-read ledgers, and playing Pac-Man
for free instead of paying a quarter at the arcade. All of this was promoted and sold using the
phrase "user-friendly".
A "user-friendly" product is one that
any average consumer could load onto their computer and use, without being
required to read a 200 page manual first!
Businesses look for user-friendly products especially. It's true that the average consumer of
software packages desires an easy-to-use program, but when a business invests
in new technology, they are also investing in the training of the employees who
will have to use it. If it is not
user-friendly, the cost of this training may double in both time and money. Microsoft Word for Windows is an excellent
example of a user-friendly application.
The prompts on the status line and the icons that give explanations of
their duties are two ways that Word helps beginners understand how the program
works. Most businesses would prefer for
the technology to do the training. It
saves them money and frustration.
Software companies know that a pleased individual or business is more
likely to welcome future technological advances than a frustrated one.
The demands for affordable and user-friendly
products that we as the consumer put on computer companies today will have a
direct result on the technology of the future.
The software industry's commitment to providing products that the we ask
for leaves the consumer in control of technology in future years.
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