Military Technology
Military TechnologyWhen the first computer was built some decades ago, it was capable of doing simple calculations and other basic tasks. The engineers had no idea what the future would bring within the world of computers. Their invention was the first step in a major professional and personal transformation in the industrialized world. Computers invaded in the following decades the lives of most people in various worksaving machines and in the middle of the Eighties also in the form of Personal Computers (PCs).
But the computer revolution also made its impact on other areas, which the bright scientists probably never anticipated. War has in all times been one of the main reasons that new inventions have been made, and the military was quick to see the destructive potential in computer technology and to try to exploit it to get ahead of the enemies.
MAIN PART
Due to the development within technology, the military is now far more than just infantry whose task is to run around in the front line and fire their guns. Warfare is now totally dependent on sophisticated computer technology in numerous different areas. Examples are the navigation of a submarine and intelligent long-range missiles. What most people associates with computers and war may be various simulation and action games. This is big business for software developers and merchandisers all over the world. As in all businesses money is the most important criteria for the big companies so they have no morale problems with making warfare into entertainment as long as it\\\'s selling. The same goes for the film industry, but at least some war films also describe the pain and hopelessness of war. So far I\\\'ve never seen a computer game capable of expressing the negative and painful side of fighting and killing. It is pure entertainment, and people obviously enjoy it. It is possible that this gives a recreational effect for some people, but there exist scientific evidence that especially children but also grown ups can have a hard time determining the difference between fiction and real life. As the games get more and more realistic, this is an issue that will be more discussed and given more attention in the future. By now submarine- and flight simulators are the most realistic games available. Thankfully most action games are still quite far from the real world, as I would consider these to be the most influential on people\\\'s behavior.
Though some games are getting quite realistic in simulating certain situations, none of them include any everyday (peacetime) military life in their simulations. Then computers are mostly office tools for normal big business tasks such as personnel management, filing and correspondence. But some of the world\\\'s sharpest brains are constantly trying to make new, more sophisticated and more deadly weapons. New technology often uses computers as a brain in \\\"intelligent\\\" weapons, which reduces the human interaction in a battle. Remote...
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