The computer and the automobile, the mainstays of modern life, share similar pasts. The computer, which has only recently become a common feature of most people's homes and offices, had its beginnings in the 1830's. At that time, the British mathematician, Charles Babbage, developed the mechanical computer. In the same way, the first type of automobile was a steam-powered vehicle invented in 1769. The gas-powered car was not mass-produced until Henry Ford's Model T in 1915, and did not become a common possession for Americans until several decades later.

Although both the computer and the automobile took a long time to become integral parts of most people's lives, once they did, they revolutionized the whole world. Today most people would rather drive their car to the office in the city than take public transportation, even though the latter may be cheaper, more convenient and safer. The reason for this is the sense of freedom, independence and privacy afforded by car travel.

In the same way, people will now spend a large amount of money to own a computer which allows them to communicate by e-mail instead of by post, and which allows them to obtain information from the Internet instead of the library.