When computers first became available, scholars in the humanities made little use of them. Language applications were introduced by non-linguists. By contrast, numerical applications were pursued widely in the physical sciences, engineering, and business. Only recently have computer languages and hardware been developed for managing human language, accompanied by linguistic activities supported primarily by commercial interest in machine translation. However, the computer languages were not designed by linguists, and use logical conventions rather than natural language structures. Continued lack of attention to this technological advancement by specialists in language and increasing pressure for applications are leading to inadequate products. If specialists in the humanities do not participate in the development of software and systems, they will continue to be unsuccessful. Imaginative applications are now possible in areas such as the teaching of language and cultures, but they require the expertise of linguists to be useful. (Author/MSE)