If you do not have a computer at home, you are most likely still living in the ice ages! Since the information age, the estimate of information that the mean man has to process has increased tremendously. Right now, if you go to an office, I believe that it would be impossible not to see any computers. Previously computers were confined as mainframes or super computers which were hugh and required loads of space to fit and tons of electricity to operate. Due to the improvements in technology, the computers shrunk and could be compressed into the size of a desk top. Now things have gone even a step added as computers now are only the size of palm tops or what they all call it net books.
Then there was the invention of the internet which greatly wide the influence of computers. Originally intended to be an internal network or intranet, the internet finally became something that wide throughout the whole world. In my opinion, the creation of the internet added spurred globalization, manufacture the world slower and facilitating long length communications in great proportions. Many things can now be done online straight through the internet. Instead of being a one to one entity, the internet allowed multi-functionality and more population could be served or could be assessing a singular point or information at any one time. From being cabled to now wireless, internet can be said to be available everywhere anytime, for the population who never sleeps.
But I digress. Yes computers have come a long way. I still remember the 486 computers that I had which cost even more than the money you can use to buy a small and much more excellent netbook now. Not to mention all the dissimilar types of cable standards used in the past. For example there was the parallel cables used to join together the computer to printers, then there are also the serial cables used to join together computer to the mice, which I have not mentioned is a fabulous invention. The computer mouse I mean not the cable. I can't imagine provocative the cursor across the screen using that touchpad or touchpoint or even the inverted rolling mouse thingy. And if all computers were touch screen activated, it still would be difficult to touch the screen all the time to perfect your work at the office.
Anyways, I think the Usb is also someone else fabulous invention that has coalesced many of the old disused cables into a singular functional cable. Now with a singular port you can plug in computer mice and also printers. Not to forget that if you are a tech geek, the Usb port can be used to power many of your Usb toys.
The Evolution of the Computer