Classification of Computer Users

Steven Cespedes Egan College Writing January 9th, 2012 Classification of Computer Users The sound of the keyboard typing away and the clicking of the mouse throughout the night has become a normal occurrence in  every  American household. Staying up until two or three in the morning browsing the web has become a characteristic of many computer users today. Since the personal computer has been invented life, work, and pleasure have changed drastically. With the creation of the internet, the possibilities with computers are all but endless. People now have the ability to communicate with others from all over the world. With both of these technologies  working together, computers have become a necessity for homes and businesses everywhere. Although the majority of computers are similar in concept, different people use them in different ways. Some use their computers for work and others as a source of entertainment. As long as the world exists, there will be several different types of computer users. The hacker is one type of computer user, they spend most of  their  time electronically breaking into other computer’s. The word hacker is synonymous with internet crimes, however hackers are highly intelligent individuals with a vast knowledge of computers. They spend their time trying to break through security systems of various networks connected to the internet. Hackers are infamous for infiltrating CIA databases, credit card companies, or more recently the PlayStation Network and wreaking havoc. These people stay up for hours looking for codes and passwords for various systems on the internet in the hopes of obtaining some sort of valuable information. There are many websites and forums dedicated to this past time which educates the general public as well as new hackers to their game. They know how the computers operate and are usually very familiar with programming languages, so they can create their own programs to break passwords. Half of the time hackers are not hurting anybody by the activities they perform, they just do it for the experience and for bragging rights within the hacker community. [pic] The gamers are the people who spend their time playing games online. These are the people who stay up to till dawn raiding, shooting, and racing with other people on the internet. There are many games which incorporate the online play such as World of Warcraft and Call of Duty to name a couple. However there are many other games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Half Life 2 that offer offline play that is just as popular. The first thing that gamers do when they get on the computer is to check if their friends are playing online. Most of these gamers even add special accessories to enhance their online gaming experience such as a microphone to talk to other players or a joystick that can be used instead of a keyboard. These types of computer users are easily identified, as they often wear licensed game t-shirts around town. The main purpose of the computer for a gamer is to play various games and learn everything they can about each game. These individuals are addicted to playing games online, and can be found staring at their computer screen until the sun comes up. The shoppers are the people who are constantly surfing the internet searching for the newest clothes or gadgets. These are the people who watch Ebay auctions for days, waiting until the last second to outbid everyone else. They will browse hundreds of websites looking for the best bargain. Instead of going to the malls and doing their shopping, they will sit in their chair for hours on end, visiting various websites on the internet. They use the internet to research the newest fashion rather than spending that time to work or study. Internet shoppers are addicted to purchasing goods online because of the ease of having it shipped straight to their door. This use of the computer usually serves to be the most expensive because of all of the money involved in purchases. Downloaders are the people who use the computer mainly for the purpose of downloading anything that is free. These are the people who leave their computers on all day and throughout the night downloading music, movies, and anything else that is available. Torrents are very popular due to the ease of access to the mass amounts of data made accessible to anyone with internet access. The legality of these acts is questionable, but torrent sites somehow manage to get around copyright infringements. Downloaders are constantly working under the radar to get their hands on the newest software for no charge. Downloaders are usually interested in computers with lots of hard drive space to store their data on. [pic] The workers are the people who use their computer for no other purpose than making money. These are the people who are constantly checking if a client has emailed them back, or making corrections to tomorrow's sales report. Workers usually prefer to use laptop computers for the ease of transporting their data from home to work. Many workers may actually own two computers, one for business and one for pleasure. They usually have the newest and fastest computers, since they can afford them. These people have no problem sitting in a chair typing for eight hours a day if they are paid well to do so. Workers may be the most proficient with a computer due to the fact that they are professionals. [pic] The Social Networkers are the people who spend most of their time socializing over the internet. These are the people who spend may spend more time on Facebook and Twitter than they do talking to real people. They are constantly updating their status and sharing links on their friend's walls. They spend hours typing away, meeting new people, and making new friends in this online community. Social Networkers enjoy posting about their everyday life, letting every one of their friends (or followers) know exactly what they're doing around the clock. They will â€Å"like† pages to notify others of their interests, and seek others with similar interests. Social Networks have turned into a competition of who can get the most friends or followers, which draws attention whores by the dozen. These are the people who you can see online Facebook chat half of the day even when they are at work or in school. Each type of user is similar in the way that they spend many hours in front of their computer screen typing away the day and into the night. Computers have made life much easier for some people and have opened numerous doors to many others. The computer has had a major impact on life as we know it, creating jobs everywhere, giving us entertainment when we are bored, and connecting everyone no matter their location in the world. No matter what lifestyle you live, the computer can cater to each one.