What would happen if the worlds computers failed?

If the all the computers in the world suddenly broke down..how much havoc do think would happen hypotheticly?
IMO i think it would just reap havoc like no other. stock market = kaboom, planes in the air dont know when or where to land. Everyone would be all " O noez!! ahh! " Stuff like that.

That would be the end of the world I think...

But I can't imagine the time when there was no computers around humans. How come those machines are so important in our lives today ?

50 years ago this wasn't so important.

The stock market would indeed simply cease to exist... but planes wouldn't fall out of the air (except for computer-controlled ones).

Air traffic control centers have procedures in place to cover catastrophic equipment failure. Those procedures aren't as efficient, but they do work.

People will probably be set free!!!! go out in the streets, the parks...it could be a lot of fun!

Then I'll have to waste my time on some other activity than surfing the web and procrastinating.

Man would invent wooden wheels with cogs in them to do complex computations. Computer companies would emerge in places like rain forests with very large buildings to house the huge machines and there would be public outcry. Quiet possiblily there would a very large corporation called Tree Cutters Software, who's main product would be sim's games.

I would be very unhappy as I would miss Frihost. I will also miss working on my computers. One good thing would probably be that my eyes would get a much-needed rest. I would probably get more sleep as well.

If the world's computers failed, then many things would happen. Remember a computer is a "programmable machine that receives input, stores and manipulates data, and provides output in a useful format." It doesn't have to be your desktop/laptop, it can be really small computers as well. Some do not realize our dependency on computers, here's some examples:

In all out reality, if the world's computers stopped working, it would be devastating since we have become so dependent on them.

So many things depend on "computer control" these days I think total kaos would hapeen. Besides the things noted in the above reply, Power generation in many areas would stop and cascade across the rest of the grid. Even the heating/cooling unit in my home is "computer controlled".

@ ocalhoun: True, Air traffic control would be OK but many of the planes in the air use computers controlled inputs.

We would live in a world with genetically engineered bike messengers working under a guy named Normal.

[/obscure tv joke]

well, dont worry... we'll come up with some other techniques within a decade!

What I think is that first all the networking would fail, that is, all the telephones including landlines, mobiles and fax machines because of which internet also could not be used(even though if they work then computers to use them are already broken down!)

As many people said the stock market will also definitely crash up, the electronic media and daily serials would also fail coz the satellites would also fail.

At last the humanity would also end up coz failure of computers which control nuclear warheads may prove fatal and launch nuclear missiles like peeing up on grass! Wink

we'd die for sure.

even if we survived the nuclear stuff. no internet would kill the rest. Embarassed

Lol, true. No internet = "O Noez!!!"

We have no computers! I understand that one problem among many would be nuclear waste facilities. They need cooling or they will emit radioactive waste into the atmosphere. If the electric grid failed completely for long periods then the backup resorts to diesel generation but if they are unable to fill the tanks due to a chain reaction of complete systems malfunctions everywhere because of computer failures then that is a really big concern.

But look is it a plane? No, it is super girl. She is faster than a speeding bullet to the rescue with an answer to the problem.

Make 57 Chevy’s, turntables, steam trains and men that actually go to work for the power company. It may not be utopia but it worked before computers.

Ya but the transition from a super awsome technology era to a post awsome technology era would be very dramatic to many people. And then some people would be all " Teh Goverment did it!" and be all anarachy'ish.

That would be bad... mass chaos everywhere, bank accounts gone, gold prices would skyrocket....

I once read something about if this one metior passed close to the earth it would erase every hard drive... lets hope that never happends/.......

I have a question, how long do you think it would take or how possible do you think it is to go back to an old reliable proven system right now?

To clarify the question a bit and put it in a present day real predicament. Let’s assume next Friday the internet goes astray really big time with the big servers and routers crashing all over the world and nothing seems to work like it used to.

Do you think some people would say I’m staying online by hooking up my PC to an old news board – shoot they were called??? Relay or something, basically like a e-mail share thing? Sorry, forget what that simple system was called now but do you think it would be possible and people could do it?

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Sad

worried and scared now!

if there wont be any computers then we wont be able to use frihost anymore!!! Razz

If the computers dont work anymore, the same reason can affect the
communication system first. Some people can not trade just becouse
they can not do it with out a calculator.
But this is just an immagination, I cant happen in any way.

ocalhoun said; . . . "My old '74 truck, for example, has only the most rudimentary electronics. Even my washing machine, though relatively new, is just a physical timer that connects various electrical contacts as it turns, hardly a computer... Or would abacuses fail as well?"

A 70 what? What is a 7 4 truck? Laughing

seriously - - yeah thats very true and maybe a good thing too.

Maybe, except for the old dye hard's (sounds like ole movie - remember when they made non-animated movies?) in the near future computerized machines will perhaps predominate even as washing machines? It is possible, I suppose.

One short answer would be "STONE AGE"

First, I'll become crazy, because I'll loose my computer.

Second, I think that it's going to be a desaster in the first months, but humans will discover again that they can live without those machines, and maybe that life is better that way.

But the probability that it happens is not so high as the world network is huge and diverse.

life will still go on. we would definately or probably invent something else to satisfy our needs, but i know we will survive.

lolz .. maybe all company will blown their mind .. because company database are in the computer.

Maybe then we would all communicate with our minds and control objects with our minds as an alternative to computer control.

... an iceage. ha, no but seriously the developed world would definitely have some major issues.

lol..time to invent telepathy. ( the thing to communicate through our minds)
But if all computer failed..would a country or some group be all like "its the end of the world" and go around killing people? or invade a diffrent country to take advantage of the chaos?

i think if this happened people would be using diffrent kindes of tech to make it more computer like as you can

Most havoc would be because some people are so dependent on computes and stupid gadgets that they would panic. I don't think I would care much. I would sit back ad watch the Chaos, laughing at all the idiots who put so much importance on on computers in their lives, and catch up on my reading.