Can you remember the first time you learned to ride a bike or drive a car? Learning theses kills changed your life forever and opened up new horizons (视野).Learning about computers can be like learning how to ride a bike or drive a car. Once you have employed the time to master the skills, you will never go back to the old days. The new technology is just too convenient and too powerful.

    Technological developments all through the years have enabled us to do more with less effort. We have continuously looked for better ways of doing things. Each invention and new development has allowed us to extend our capabilities. Today we see one of the most dramatic technologies ever developed—the computer. It extends the capabilities of our minds.

    Computers have saved organizations millions of dollars. Furthermore, these same computer systems have opened up new opportunities that would have gone undiscovered or ignored. There is no doubt that computers have a positive influence upon people's life, and the growth of computer usage is surprising. On the other hand, the computer can do serious damage. Invasion of privacy (侵犯隐私), fraud (欺诈),  and computer-related mistakes are just a few shocking examples. So the computer is like a double-edged sword. It has the ability to cut us free from some activities, but it can also cut deep into financial profits (利益), personal privacy and our society in general. The choice is yours, and only through a knowledge of computer systems will you be able to avoid the dangers while enjoying the many, many benefits of the computer age.