Computers have pervaded human society in a way never seen before. This was not always the case. In fact, there was a time when computers were a figment of man’s imagination. Starting in the modern age people wanted to build a machine that can handle immense mathematical calculations but for centuries the idea remained a dream. But in the modern age scientists and engineers began to have access to technology that allowed them to develop the first computer and the rest was history. In the 21 st century computers continue to pervade everyday life. It is no longer limited to office work because computers also pervaded the home, supermarkets, transportation hubs and other public places. However, it must be made clear if someday computers no longer provide assistance and becomes a bane to human existence. Background In the past scientists and mathematicians had to be contented with pen and paper in performing their calculations. Needless to say this was a laborious process. This crude method of recording and analyzing data was time consuming and it places considerable limitations on their achievements. However, different types of technologies were developed and machines were invented that at first glance are not complimentary but looking at the greater scheme of things was a build-up to the creation of the personal computer. It can be argued that with the invention of the printing press also comes the explosion of knowledge as information can be shared much faster and disseminated over a broader area as opposed to hand-written communication. In the past handwritten notes and the manual creation of books is the only way to spread knowledge in addition to oral history and other verbal forms of communication. Another consequence of the printing press is the ability to mass produce information and made available at a shorter rate of time. The indirect by-product of the printing press is the typewriter. The printing press may have been an important contribution to the development of computers but without the ability to harness and control electrical power it is impossible to even begin to imagine the possibility of creating a compact and fast-computing machine. Electricity paved the way for the electronics industry. The electronics industry made it possible for the creation of computer monitors, electric typewriters and eventually the keyboard. All of these made possible the creation of a powerful computing device that can be operated in the home. When somebody found a way to connect computers globally the ability to interact and to do business was forever transformed in the most radical way (Waters, p.5). The discovery of a particular knowledge that leads to invention and later on to innovation can take a very long time depending on the needs of people and depending on the availability of technology. But one thing is certain, scientists, engineers and inventors did not start from scratch (Gladwell, p.50). Each inventor and innovator owes a certain degree of gratitude to those that came before them. Thomas Edison may have perfected the light bulb but he too was standing on the shoulders of giants. This phenomenon was described in detail by sociologists who wrote: “new inventions can be adequately explained by reference to the state of prior knowledge, because every new invention grows out of