The first assignment given to us for the class was to read the first half of Computers: The Life Story of a Technology by Eric G. Swedin and David L. Ferro. I have to admit, it was a bit of a bore for a while, since it had a lot of straight up history and not so much of the effects of technology. However, it still managed to capture my mind as I saw the clear transitions society had from earlier pre-computer days to when the usage of computers became valuable to businesses an society as a whole.
Before I even got into the reading, I noticed the timeline in the front, which outlined the various ways humans developed through math and technology from 35,000 BCE to 2003. It was really interesting to see how the advancements became much more frequent as time went on, especially after the end of World War I in 1918. By the 1980's, the changes became rapid and the growth more staggering. From the timeline alone, I could see how technology was being integrated into our society.
The first half of the book was split into four chapters: Before Computers, The First Electronic Computers, The Second Generation, and the Third Generation. Each chapter outlined the history of technology and how small parts of the world was being affected by the development of technology.
It was really interesting to see how the invention of computers stems from early 'machines,' such as the first calculating device. In the first chapter, we saw how various inventions and findings regarding mathematics and computing devices were the ones in high demand. I never knew that the term 'computer' was used before the inventions of the computers we use today. Even more surprising, the term referred to people who used devices like the abacus, slide rule, and later on electromechanical devices like adding machines (19). Additionally, it was amazing to see how significant and helpful the invention of a mechanical tabulating machine was, even if it seems so ancient and inefficient nowadays when we have much better systems to deal with the census and businesses.
Then the first electronic computers came to be, especially due to the importance science and technology came to be in the Second World War. Technology changed the way war was fought, with new weapons and codebreaking techniques. Calculations could now be done faster and without too much work from humans. On page 44, it also showed how the development of technology even affected events that were far removed from that industry, such as the presidential elections; the outcome of votes were effectively and efficiently predicted by the new UNIVAC program.
The second generation of computers replaced vacuum tubes with transistors, making it possible for smaller computers to be developed. As was the case with the first generation, the second generation of computers were greatly influenced by a war, this time the Cold War. Thanks to the huge focus on science and technology, businesses sprung up in the industry to develop more and more hardware and software inventions, which became vital in every day businesses. Businesses came into the technology industry to make money and in order for businesses to make money, they needed that technology.
Finally, the third generation of computers used integrated circuits and started the usage of microprocessors, which made the personal computers we have now possible. I was surprised to see how the first line of software programs were made to give away to customers for free as incentives to buy certain hardware programs, since nowadays, the software program industry is a great big one. The birth of this industry came to be only because a small company, ADR, didn't want IBM, a super company at the time, to copy their superior program and attract away their customers, not solely because they wanted the revenue, although I'm sure that played a part.
The last paragraph of the reading still makes me wonder how this world we live in came to be. Computers were so expensive that only certain businesses and research facilities had the capabilities to purchase and utilize them. It seemed as though only the elite had the access to these technological 'miracles,' when nowadays, it's weird if you don't own a computer for yourself. In just 40 years, the number of computers in the world increased from just 130,000 machines to about 100,000 times that much. The microprocessor, as previously mentioned was said to be the key in making it all possible so I'm looking forward to seeing that transition in the second half of the book.
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