I need a computer because?

In the early 80s a then girlfriend went for a job interview in a small shop in reading, one of the first to sell computers. One comment sticks from those far off days, "most people want a computer, they have no idea why they want one, or what they are going to use it for. They just want one".

Those were the days, most computers were main frames, the screens mostly mono (black and white). What games there were available usually meant trying to work out the budget for a farm or country, racing tall ships around the world, well blips and crosses. No internet, minute hard drives and floppy drives you had to be careful not to crease.

How the world has changed. The price of entry level machines have come down to a few hundred pounds, multi core processors, ever larger hard drives and more memory than you can shake a stick at.

A computer is still a tool, okay a games tool, a communication tool, the means to create films, music, amazing photographs, novels, but still very much a tool.

Though it may not seem like it at times they are not solely the preserve of the young, for a time now the older generations have discovered the delights, occasional frustrations and horrors that have enraptured increasing generations of 'children'.

Be it games, communications with friends and family, online shopping, information and news, computers are very much a part of our world. It will be interesting to see what changes in the next twenty years.