Computers. Internet. These are two words that I hear several times during a normal day, and even use frequently, because I'm sure a decent number of other people do as well. If you watch television, you will see many computer advertisements from all companies. There are advertisements for different Internet companies, prices and quality also vary. In our world, both of these technologies are constantly updating and improving. To keep up with its growth, it's even necessary to upgrade to a better computer every few years. It's because of my familiarity with these two products that when I heard the word "technology", it was the first thing I thought of. Today, people of all ages rely heavily on computers and the Internet, which leads us to ask the question: what are the bad and good effects of the computer and the Internet on its users? Are these two products more useful or more harmful to people? It was around the 1970s that personal computers (also called PCs for short) became popular. Companies such as Apple and IBM were making large computers at this time, but they were not easy to use and were also expensive. Eventually, as computer prices fell and they were improved for easier use, they became more popular. This is when computers even began to be added to classrooms to help teach students (McCormick 19-21). Soon after, public use of the Internet began to expand, so that it was no longer used for strictly military purposes. Computers and the Internet were a gateway to a whole new digital world, where information could be accessed with a simple press of certain buttons on your fingertips. This new, unknown world was something audiences were ready and excited to explore... middle of paper ... like Mukophadhyay and William Scherlis. "Internet paradox: a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being?." American psychologist. 53.9 (1998): 1017-1031. Print.McCormick, Anita Louise. Internet: surfing the problems. Springfield: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1998. Print. Morgan, Charlie and Shelia R. Cotten. “The relationship between Internet activities and depressive symptoms in a sample of first-year college students.” Cyberpsychology and Behavior 6. (2003): 133-142. Internet. February 11, 2011. “Negative Effects of Computer Use.” College of Optometry of Southern California. College of Optometry of Southern California, nd Web. February 23, 2011. .Newman, Jared. “The 10 most important technologies in modern world history.” Gadgetcrave.com. uCrave, June 25, 2009. Web. February 9. 2011