Software is Here to Stay

Why we need software

Have you ever wondered what life would be like without software? No really, have a good think about it. How would your life be changed if there was no computer software around anymore? It is quite a sobering thought, isn't it?

We now take everything for granted. All the electronic equipment, machinery, toys, games and more all contain some sort of software to make them work. The flight you took for your vacation was, in the greater part, controlled by computer software. Our cars are becoming more and more dependant upon computer software not just for the driving but also for the maintenance. Throughout any given day, there isn't anyone who isn't involved in or touched by software whether it is at work or at play.

Our homes are now fast becoming a centre for computer software. Everything from the security system, garage doors, kitchen appliances, hi-fi and the personal computer all use software. Can you imagine having to do without some of these items, let alone all of them!

To give you an example of how much we rely on software in our daily lives, I will relate what happened the other day in our house. The computers operating system developed a bug and had to be reloaded. With one thing or another the whole process took about three hours. In the interim period, I had my children screaming at me that they needed to use the Internet for their homework, my wife needed to send emails to family and friends and I needed to finish off some work as I worked from home.

Although it was only a matter of a few hours, being without the use of software was enough to cause a normally docile family to row! Realistically, we have become so conditioned to having useful software at our fingertips that it will be quite a shock to our system if we ever have to do without it. I for one, hope that it will never happen!

Jack Gould