Agreed, computers certainly aren't necessary. They are fun, educational and useful when used the right way, but the vast majority of the great minds of the 20th century and before certainly didn't have them as children, and they turned out all right.
Sort of like books?
Prior to the printing press, books were very very rare. And prohibitively expensive.
Gutenberg changed that. The Reformation and the Renaissance were sparked as much by the printing press as the political events in the Low Countries. Knowledge became available to many more people.
The internet has made the cost of obtaining knowledge almost zero. A computer coupled with the internet allows anyone to educate themselves once they can read and at a far faster pace.
The Kahn Academy and Starfall are two very good sites. ALEKS is another.
As far as computer literacy goes, I define it as being able to program. I learned to program when I was 12. I see no reason why a bright kid cannot start doing this when they are 7.
