Since the dawn of history, men have gathered information and have attempted to pass it on to other men. The carving of word-pictures on the walls of ancient caves as well as hieroglyphics on stone tablets represent some of man's earliest efforts to convey information. Evidently, these efforts were very simple and primitive.

    But as civilizations grew more complex, better methods of communication were needed. The written word, carrier pigeons, the telegraph and many other devices carried ideas faster and faster from man to man but still not fast enough to satisfy ever-growing needs. In recent years, as men entered the information epoch, a new type of machine, the electronic computer, has come into being and has become increasingly important in the lives of all people. With the invention and development of computers, it is as if man has suddenly come upon Aladin's magic lamp.

    Generally speaking, the basic job of computers is the processing of information. For this reason, computers can be defined as devices which accept information, perform mathematical or logical operations with the input information, and then supply the results of these operations as new information.

    Computers can work through a series of problems and make thousands of logical decisions without ever becoming tired. However, although computers can replace men in dull, routine tasks, they only work according to the instructions given them, in other words, they have to be programmed. Their achievements are not very spectacular when compared to what the minds of men can do.

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随着历史的发展，人们开始把收集到的资料传达给其他人。石头或墙上的雕刻说明了原始人的对传播信息做出的努力。很明显，这个方法是非常简单的。可是随着文明的进步，人类需要新的传播信息的方法，书面语、电报机、以及其他设备使得人类之间的传播越发快速。近年来，新型的机器，电子计算机逐渐成为我们生活中不可缺少的工具。随着计算机的诞生及其发展，人类就好像在黑暗里获得魔法灯。严格的说，计算机的基本功能是信息处理。从这意义上说，计算机是最好的信息处理工具，处理我们输入的与数学或逻辑学有关的信息，接着输出计算结果。计算机可以帮我们做许多事，而且也不会因此而感到厌倦。虽然计算机可以代替日常枯燥的任务，计算机只是根据输入的指令进行工作。

有史以来，人类就收集信息并尽力传递给其他人。古墙上的文字雕刻还有石简上的甲骨文都代表了古代人类为传递信息而做的努力。而这些努力显然简单而原始。
但随着文化编的更加复杂，人们需要更佳的交流方式。书信，信鸽，电报和其他的设施都可以更快地传递信息但始终不能满足日益增加的需求。信息时代中，电子计算机产生并成为人们生活中日益重要的部分。随着电脑的发明与发展，似乎人类突然遭遇了拉丁语幻灯片。
大体来说电脑的主要工作是处理信息。所以它被定义为接受信息，用数学或逻辑的方式处理信息，并输出新信息的机器。
电脑可以处理一系列问题，做出数万计决定而从不会疲劳。虽然电脑带人类完成了无聊常规的任务，但是电脑只能根据既定指令工作。换句话说，他需要编程。与人类的思考相比，计算机的成就并不卓越。

一直以来，人们都收集信息并尝试传达给其他人。雕刻在古代洞穴墙壁上的文字图片，就像刻在石板上的象形文字，体现了早期人们传达信息的努力。很显然，这些努力很简单也很原始。

随着人类文明越来越复杂。人们需要更好的沟通方式。文字，信鸽，电报等越来越多的通讯方式出现，但仍不能满足人们对信息传递速度的要求。