From the Left
Since the invention of ENIAC, the world's first computer, in 1946, computer speed and technology has surged at a mind-boggling pace. According to Moore's Law, both the speed and memory of computers have doubled every 18 to 24 months since the 1950s, resulting in overall increases of a factor of over a billion. However, Moore's Law cannot continue forever. The increased speed and memory of computers is a result of miniaturization of transistors, the basic components of computers. Having been built a year before the invention of the transistor, ENIAC relied on large, clumsy vacuum tubes. Shortly thereafter, computers used transistors, which were made smaller and smaller, eventually being placed on integrated circuits and finally etched on chips. Nowadays, computer transisitors measure just a few hundered nanometers each. It has been estimated that by 2019, they will be down to the size of atoms, and no further miniaturization will be possible.
So what's the next step? Beyond conventional computers lies the promise of quantum computers. These remarkable machines would rely on the actions of just a few hundred molecules. Each molecule would store a quantum bit, or qubit, of information. Unlike conventional computers, which work with bits (0 or 1), quantum computers work with qubits, which can have a continuous range of values. This will give quantum computers tremendous advantages over conventional computers, including size, speed, and perhaps the ability to solve previously unsolvable problems. Unfortunately, quantum computers are still very much in their infancy. The largest quantum computers built today consist of just 12 qubits and can only perform menial calculations, such as factoring the number 15. Government-sponsored research on quantum computers should be a national priority, due to their enormous potential and our society's ever-growing needs for computer speed and power. |
From the Right
Computers have changed the way we communicate not only with each other, but also around the world. Today, we can communicate with other businesses and individuals very quickly instead of relying on slower types of communication such as mail delivery. But the government can do more to help people become even better at communicating with others. By supporting funding for computer education in the classroom, by making sure that internet service is available to all, and by training more people who to use the computer will boost the economy and help those in need.
Computer technology is another area where government can help. By finding technology companies by buying their equipment, more can be spent on the latest technology. This will also improve the economy and create more jobs for those who are currently unemployed or who are struggling to make ends meet. By investing in computer technology, the government will also benefit by being able to keep records and other personal information safe from those who want to steal it.
Supporting computer technology is an ongoing process. As technology changes, so will our uses for it. The government can do much to ensure that people are being taught how to use technology to improve their own lives. This way, people will be able to find better jobs, communicate with others in different parts of the world, and be able to contribute more to society. The government should be able to offer more training and other types of classes for those who enjoy using the computer and want to earn a living from it.
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