There are lots of reasons for making use of networks as opposed to having many independent microcomputers or workstations
. The networked computers can make more efficient use of common resources such as applications software. This saves the bother of having to store the software on many different disks for each machine, a nightmare scenario for network managers.
The network gives the computers attached to it the ability to communicate with each other. For example, you can easily set up electronic mail system and bulletin boards. You can also make use of facsimile (FAX) system (i.e. scanning a document and transmitting the contents around the network or via the phone systems (can carry out distributed transaction processing (i.e. workstations have access to and help control parts of a networked business system) and access central database etc. relatively expensive resources such as laser printer can also be shared between several people. A network of machines will usually be cheaper to operate than the equivalent number of machine each having the same facilities locally (i.e. printers, disks and software) it also means that a manager can easily maintain all the software if it happens to be stored on a single centralized distribution system.
You could, if you wished, share the processing of some complex problem between several machines on the network, or even play some interactive games of the shoot-em-up variety! There are many different possibilities and no doubt many others will soon be invented. The use of the LAN in both educational and business systems is now so pervasive that it's the norm rather than the exception to have networked computers for everyday tasks.