Windows & Computers
When you a buy a railway or airline ticket, it is a computer that checks whether a seat is available, allots your seat number, an even prints out your ticket. Computers in one city are linked to those in another, so that your onward travel and reservation can be done from one place. More and more banks in India are now maintaing their accounts on computers. You can even transfer funds "electronically" from one bank to another.
Large office uses computers to maintain records of employees' names, salaries and other information. Manufactures use computers to keep track of products and parts, and of sales. Some industries use special computers directly in manufacturing, in controlling the machine that do the actual drilling, turning and assembly. Small businesses and restaurants too have started using computers for accounts and client list.
In hospitals, computers are used not only to maintain records but also to monitor patients' heartbeat, blood pressure and other functions. Computers have moved into the printing industry, to help make books like the one you are reading.
The use of computers by scientist, engineers and the military started much before the personal computer was introduced. Space travel, weather forecasting, aircraft and motor car design and many other things would be very difficult, if not impossible, without the use of computers. Modern weaponry such as "laser guided missiles" which were being used in Taliban heavily depends on computers. There are now advance jet fighters whose performance has been so enhanced that there are essentially unflyable without onboard computers making hundreds of flight corrections every second independently of the pilot, they would fall right out the sky.
Writers, office secretaries and newspaper reporters use computers
as word processors. If a company wants to send out the same letter - called
a form letter - to hundreds of customers, changing name and address, the
job is best handheld by a computer.
Book designers, ad agencies and other use computers to create
and manipulate precise drawings or graphics. Striking examples of such
computer generated graphics can be seen in music videos and modern films
that use special effects.
Then there are hordes of professional and amateur computer programmers whose main job is to make computers work better, or help other use their computers better. In fact, programming is the basis of all other computer application. This is why most school students are introduced to computers through programming.