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Computer Literacy
   Good morning, everybody. In today’s lecture, we are going to talk about computer literacy. Now is the time to become computer literate. Now is the time to become familiar and comfortable with the computer because in the future we will become virtually a paperless society and many daily activities will be linked to the computer.
   First, let’s look at common ways of daily communication. Mail delivery to the home and business will be almost entirely phased out and e-mail will replace it. Bills will come via the computer and paid the same way. Pay checks will be electronically deposited to your bank account. On special occasions such as birthdays, greeting cards will be sent from your computer to your loved one’s computer. Shopping malls will become cyber malls and we will do our shopping via the computer. You will be able to view on your monitor how you would look in a certain outfit you are considering to buy. Imagine traveling over the entire mall in a comfortable in front of your computer. Push a button and the entire stock of a store will be at your finger tips. When you do go to a store to shop, you will not use money. You will use either a credit card or debit card which will automatically deduct the amount if you purchase from your bank account.
   Second, our homes will be run by computers. Computers will adjust the temperature. Home appliances will be linked to the computer. Imagine driving home from work and calling your computer and having it start dinner for you. Have it adjust the temperature so your home will be at a comfortable temperature when you arrive. Window covering will be adjusted to allow the correct amount of sunlight in. Light fixtures will automatically adjust to the right level of light in your home.
   Furthermore, the way of business conducted is entirely changed. Instead of long distance business trips, business will be conducted via interactive teleconferences. Documents and files will be stored on computers hard drives. Much of this is done today but in the future it will expand as we become a paperless society. Many workers will not have to go to a place of employment. They will work from their homes via the computer. For those who do have to drive to work it will become less stressful as computers help to keep traffic congestion down. Cars will have on-board computers to keep them aware of road conditions, traffic backups, and which route is best to take. On-board computers will also replace maps and give directions from your current location to where you are going. If you happen to get lost, your computer will get you back to the correct road.
   In addition, the education system will also join the computer age. Every student will have access to a computer. Text books will be on disks. Students will have access to a vast amount of reference material via the computer online from far away universities and other institutions. Home work will be done on the computer. Instead of turning in papers on which you have done your homework, you will either turn in a disk or send it to your teachers by connecting to the Internet. Teachers will no longer have to spend hours grading papers. Homework and in-class work will be graded by the computer. Test will be taken on the computer and as soon as you finish you will know what your score is. At the end of the grading period your teacher will just punch a few keys on her computer and your report cards will print out as the computer keeps track of all your grades for the quarter. Some classes will be conducted by interactive teleconferences much the same as business conferences are conducted. This will give students in small schools the same educational opportunities as those in the larger school systems.
   Finally, our leisure time will also be affected by the expanded use of computers. In the future the home communication system (phones, e-mail, faxes, and modems) and TV-service will be integrated into one system. If you want to read the newspaper you will not have to travel to the driveway to pick it up. Just flip on your TV and with the aid of your computer pull up the paper on your screen and read. Magazines will be available the same way. If you want to watch a movie and just turn on the TV and you will receive a list of what is on. Order by the computer and sit back and enjoy the movie. Video games will be available to play on your TV the same way. People whose hobbies are collecting things such as cards or stamps can receive the latest information on their collections from the computer.
   Therefore, find yourself putting on a few extra pounds spending all your time in front of your computer system. You can get exercise programs and a computer generated diet geared to your specific needs from your computer. So to be a productive person in the future you will need to acquire computer literacy to get prepared for the future.