The latter half of Computers, discusses the modern and business savvy world of computers. As computers continue to gain uses, their pervasiveness and integration into society begins to increase. With more programming codes, more functions are put into action and therefore companies are continuously building and adding to computers. It is very clear that this technology is growing at an exponential rate (p109). We are able to see how computers begin as a luxury, aiding in business and some entertainment to now a necessity.
The materialization of personal computers allowed for computers to enter the household. Because society always wants what is new, people were willing to deal with “long delivery times and other problems” just to be able to get their hands on a computer, even though its purposes were still limited (p87).
Apple broke boundaries discovering the many possibilities of a microcomputer in an office environment. The commercial aspect of technology was beginning to advance. Soon after, IBM recognized the potential and jumped on the opportunity to quickly create a microcomputer of their own. “Their intention was to dominate the microcomputer market the same way they dominated the mainframe marketplace” (p93). Companies were beginning to see how profitable and marketable this business would become.
Mac’s 1984 commercial (p99) changed the media market of computers. The dramatic unveiling of the new computer not only furthered an intense competition with IBM, but it sparked much interest in consumers. Airing only once during the super bowl, the commercial gained a great deal of attention and created buzz for personal computers. Despite the unforgettable broadcast, Windows decided to create television commercials after finally gaining “astounding commercial success” with the addition of more memory and better writing software (p107). Computer advertising begins to expand to mass media.
The emergence of new software for computers created a huge buzz among technology hobbyists. Software has become an essential for computers, aiding students, business professionals, researchers and just about anyone who writes a letter or play a game. Although many of these applications were created fairly recently, it is astonishing that we are already using new and improved programs. Each generation is born with new tools. One of the greatest tools that society has been given is the internet.
ARPANET was the world’s first operating “packet switching” network created by ARPA during the Cold War. Predecessor to the internet, packet-switching is a communications method that groups data and sends it to its destination. The information is then reconfigured on the other side. With the Internet and the World Wide Web, surfacing some years later, available, linking and sharing information with people became around the world became easier than ever.
Although it is very easy to see the prevalence of computers, connecting everyone together is still a challenge. The digital divide is the separation between countries that have internet access digital technology access and those who do not. Most often, it includes countries that not only have physical access to resources, but also those who do not acquire the skills to take part in. The digital divide proves to be a great example of how important computers really are. Through the internet, we are able to share information and ideas with those who need it. We can see the significance of this in the episode of TED Talks. Christopher Makau, from Africa, has taught us that internet has an effect on the whole world. Through the internet and its various innovative uses, he was able to learn ways restore his town. He learned to grow plants and vegetables and is now able to feed over thirty families. In ways, the digital divide prevents people from helping others around the world. If internet access was granted to everyone, different groups and communities would be able to share information and we would be able to continue to gain knowledge through each other.
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