The History of Technology
- How have computer-based and digital technologies evolved over time?
-Computer-based and digital technologies have tremendously evolved over time. Beginning in the seventeenth century, we were given the tools to perform rapid calculations, and in the nineteenth century, the idea of programmable computers blossomed. We are met with Charles Babbage, who is working on a prototype called “Difference Engine.” This allows a machine operated by a hand crank to compute mathematical tables. Although there is some interest in this invention. It is inevitably scraped due to metalworking issues. Babbage meets Ada Lovelace, a mathematician, and joins forces with her to create “The Analytical Engine,” which is now seen as the precursor for computers in the electronic age. Unfortunately, the project was never completed and was not tested during the life of Ada Lovelace. To this day, both Lovelace and Babbage are seen as pioneers of computing.
The Mid 20th century becomes a pivotal moment for computing and the web. We are introduced to the first electronic digital computer that is designed to solve systems of linear equations. In the forties, we are introduced to the first electric programmable computer, an automatic calculator, and the birth of modems. We also get the first descriptions of a computer network resembling the world wide web, this is given to us by J.C.R Licklider. Licklider also goes on to pave the way to connect computers across campuses including Stanford, UCLA, UCSB, and the University of Utah. This experiment is seen as the first iteration of the internet as we know it today.
In The 1980’s we are introduced to the first personal computer and the world wide web. There were over 1 million users when personal computers came to the scene. In the late ’80s, we were given the world wide web. Through the ’90s and early 2000s, the first web page is posted, and the internet was becoming more and more popular. Audio and visuals are being sent on the internet, and we gain the catchphrase “surfing the internet.” We are introduced to sites we see today like yahoo, match.com, AOL, Google, and Netflix. In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg releases Facebook, which is now the beginning of social media platforms. After 2005, we see a big boom in social media. By 2010, Facebook had accumulated over 400 million active users, and now sites like Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter are being launched.
Overall, technology has changed in ways I do not think anyone ever expected it to. It began and solving algorithms, and is now today used for several different reasons. Technology has paved the way in our society, and is now a part of our everyday lives. Technology will also continue to grow and evolve in ways we never knew could exist. The potential for technology goes beyond entertainment but can be used for things we see and use in our everyday lives.
- Identify one innovative person of color who influenced modern computer- or Internet-based technology and explain their contributions. This could be an individual from the reading or one you search for on your own.
-Otis Boykin is someone to thank for a lot of the technology we use today. Boykin was known for the development and improvement of electrical resistors, which made electrical devices much more reliable. This resister technology is used in television, radios, computers, and several other electronic devices we use today.
- The history of computing, computer-based technologies, and the Internet has been influenced by a variety of factors, individuals, and groups — some well-documented and others that have remained hidden or not acknowledged. Name some influential factors or figures that stand out to you from this week’s content.
-An influential figure that stands out from the readings this week would have to be Gladys West. Gladys West contributed to the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS). She was a mathematician who contributed to the development of the mathematical modeling of the shape of the earth, and the satellite geodesy. West was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for the satellite geodesy models. West was a part of award-winning astronomical studies, and plays a pivotal part in the directional systems we know and use today.
- What is one key point made in either of the readings that you found to be important, notable, interesting, or surprising? Explain.
-A key point that I found interesting is how technology started as something to solve equations and is used in several different parts of our everyday life. It is interesting to think about how technology ages back, and where we are as a society with it today. I believe that there is still a lot of learning to be done with technology, but it is fascinating that we have expanded it to what we know today. There are several different individuals to thank for their technological efforts. They paved a path into our society that has shaped us in several different ways. It is crazy to think that if anything was different, the internet might not be what it is today.
- Share any additional thoughts you have about this week’s video, readings, or topics — including insights gained, questions you have, or perspectives that have shifted or changed.
-Something that really came to light for me when reading the article on the timeline about technology is the boom of the 21st century and technology. I am in other classes involving technology and how to use it within society and a topic that comes up is the lack of time we have gotten to understand technology. It is so easy to trust it because of what it does for us, and that can lead to a lot of ethical issues we face today. Although technology has been around for so long, the rise of social media is fairly new and still developing every single day.
