Because businesses have avoided waste of time and have
improved efficiency through the use of computers, the prices we now pay are less than
they would otherwise have been. Computer uses can improve productivity - the amount
of goods and services that people and machines can produce from a given amount of input.
Higher-quality products. Computers may also help improve the quality of the
products and services we receive. Computer-aided design (CAD) means the use of
computers and graphics-oriented software for the purpose of automating the design and
drafting process. An engineer at a CAD site - often called an engineering workstation -
can design a three-dimensional machined part, analyse its characteristics, and then subject
it to different stresses. If the part fails a stress test, its specifications can be changed. All
these steps occur as the engineer works with the CAD hardware and software. Computeraided
manufacturing (CAM) means the use of computers in the production process. The
CAM process picks up where CAD leaves off. During this production phase, robots
(devices programmed to physically manipulate their surroundings) and other computercontrolled
devices are used to produce higher-quality products.
Better service. People may now receive better service from government agencies. In
contrast to the bureaucratic runaround that often accompanies a call to city hall, computer
system allows citizens to dial a single number, get the right city department, and be
guaranteed a response. The service benefits people receive from business computers
include (1) shorter waiting lines at banks, airline ticket offices, and hotel and car rental
desks, (2) faster and more accurate answers to the
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