How we use computers

I was watching a movie from the early 90's not too long ago, and saw a scene where a PC was being used. The thing that caught my attention was the setup of the PC and components on a small desk/cart, where the whole system was crammed together in a small space, with the CPU being very prominently below the monitor and printer adjacent to the CPU.

 

Today it is the rare home computer station that we have the CPU under/next-to the monitor, right in front of the keyboard, with the printer practically touching the CPU. If we have anything on the desk besides the keyboard and monitor, it is usually because we are using a laptop, a power switch device is present (a relic from past days that I still use), or lack of space for a printer somewhere else. That space is now taken by our iPod, Smart Phone, PDA or similar device charging/linking station. We rarely have the CPU on the desk or at the same view plane as the monitor. That suggests that the way we use our computers has evolved greatly over the last 20 years, primarily I believe, because of the internet.

 

Before internet, we primarily used the computers for games (the likes of which our kids laugh at our rudimentary graphics and complexity), writing reports or maybe managing our checkbook. Much of the time we were printing something out because that was how we could get what we input into the computer. Occasionally we could save something on a floppy disc to take it to another computer (maybe at work; also known as "sneaker net"), which made the easy access of the CPU on the desk preferable. Bottom line, unless you worked at home, it was an oversized word processor that needed to go somewhere and was sort of an eyesore, relegated to the family room or den.

 

My have things have changed. If you are under 25 and reading this, you may not even know what the acronym CPU stands for (Central Processing Unit--the actual computer, tower, desktop, or laptop). Many of us probably haven't used our printers except for the occasional confirmation ticket or map directions (if you haven't bought into the smart phone hype). Where most of our computers came with a floppy drive as the primary data input device, laptops don't have them and most computers are void of the type. A CD-ROM or even CD-RW is passé when we have thumb drives that are larger than blu-ray discs and don't require a special drive, assuming of course our target computer is not connected--heaven forbid!

 

As I prepare for my next transition, I am preparing to go mobile. I am leaving my desktop, flat panel monitor, and printer with my brother and packing my laptop as the sole resource. I have a thumb drive for access to files at other computers when connectivity is not immediately available, and an external 500GB 2.5" (self powering) USB drive that will carry what was stored on the desktop CPU. And a printer, until I get to my destination and pickup a multi-function unit for less than $150, the libraries will have to do. Any other suggestions?