Past, Present and Future of Computers in my Lifejrcolbur/assignments/word_project.doc · Web viewIn...
Transcript of Past, Present and Future of Computers in my Lifejrcolbur/assignments/word_project.doc · Web viewIn...
Past, Present and Future of Computers in my LifeBy
Jamie ColburnEDT 321
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Computers of the Past......................................................................................................................4
First Generation Computers.........................................................................................................4
Second Generation Computers....................................................................................................4
Third Generation Computers.......................................................................................................4
Fourth Generation Computers.....................................................................................................5
Present Computers...........................................................................................................................6
The Digital Divide.......................................................................................................................6
Uses of today’s computer............................................................................................................6
Types of Computers used by everyday people............................................................................7
The Future of Computers.................................................................................................................8
Summary..........................................................................................................................................9
References........................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
Computers have come along way from being an instrument for military intelligence to shaping and creating a global society. Not only can the military have their desired technology for war and peace but every person in the world is more likely today to have the opportunity to learn and see places and things and communicate with people they will never be physically in front of. The following pages will show the past, present and future of the computer.
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Computers of the Past
First Generation Computers
The computers of the 1930’s thru the 1950’s were very large, used a lot of electricity and put out a lot of heat. These computers were called the first generation computers. The Mark I was put together in 1944. It had miles of wire and was very expensive to run because it need precise calculations and had many moving parts. The Mark I operated by using an electrical current. Next the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) came along Bitter & Legacy (2008 p. 25). The military worked with this computer and invented the technology to help them with international affairs. The ENIAC was much faster then the Mark I because it used vacuum tube technology. The size and electricity consumption of these earlier computers was not acceptable to scientists and the military.
Second Generation Computers
In 1959 through 1964 transistor technology was developed by John Bardeen, Walter
Brattain and William Shockley. They discovered semiconductor material could run
through a transistor that did the work of the vacuum tubes. These semiconductors were
much smaller than the vacuum tubes. The size of the computer was able to be reduced
and the speed increased. These new second generation computers did not use as much
electricity or give off the heat the older ones did. Transistors though were expensive
because they had to be put in one by one into holes in the plastic board Wires had to be
attached. There was an overwhelming amount of parts that had to make up one transistor.
Third Generation Computers
From 1963 to 1975 integrated circuits were invented. These third generation
computers still had a great amount of work and parts need to make them but the
integrated circuits enabled computers to be smaller, faster and used less electricity.
Because of the size more people were able to have and operate them.
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Fourth Generation ComputersThe Fourth generation computers in the 1970’s had manufactured chips that
are made easier and can perform more functions. Brattain and Shockley describe them as “creating a microelectronic “system” capable of performing various tasks required for a single job” et al Shockley (2008). The microelectronic chip was called Large-scale integration (LSI) and can be associated with the pocket calculator, digital watches and the computer–on a-chip which led to the first microprocessor. Because of LSI’s research allowed for computer prices to come down allowing more that just the military and researchers to own a computer.
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Present Computers
The Digital Divide
Computer prices are lower than they have ever been allowing marginal users to afford
them. Computers can be found in most homes, schools and libraries. If a person does not have a
computer they will probably know someone who does. There are Universities and Social
programs that are doing research to try to get a computer in every neighborhood in the United
States.
Assistive technology has given people with disabilities the opportunity to tailor a
computer for their use. People with vision problems and increase the font size on their
computers, the blind can have Braille key boards and use software that allows them to use the
internet in a way that is productive for them. Media player allows for sound to heard and other
assistive technology programs like Dragon Naturally Speaking assists with audio and visual
que’s for dyslexic people. There are people working in groups such as “Web Accessibility
Initiative” http://www.w3.org/WAI/ and “The adaptive Technology resource Centre”
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/ that work to create, inform and deliver technological access to people
with disabilities and to help the public be more aware of technology and disabilities. To read
more about assistive technology visit
Uses of today’s computer
Computers today are used by people to communicate asynchronously through e-mail or
synchronously and face to face through using web cams and programs like SKYPE. People can
talk to one person or many people at the same time through chat rooms and instant messaging.
The World Wide Web has allowed people learn about themselves, others and the world we live
in. The computer allows anonymity to its users if they like. If a shy person or a disabled person
doesn’t want anyone they are communicating with to know about there physical appearances or
behaviors they can disguise themselves with how they present themselves or invent themselves
in their writings in Blogs or through My Space or other community sites. The computer also
allows people to meet other people with the same abilities or disabilities and form friendships or
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activist groups or communities that help them to understand and live in the world that is their
reality.
Reality can also be altered on the World Wide Web. There are virtual worlds where people can
become avatars or just about anything else. People can talk to AI computers or psychological
Bots to entertain themselves. You can meet an AI named Alice at http://alice.pandorabots.com/
In the work place and for personal use computers are used for there Microsoft software
such as Microsoft Word for word processing, making spreadsheets with excel, presentations with
PowerPoint. People also can use the art and graphic tools for creating art or manipulating
pictures.
Types of Computers used by everyday people
The following table describes three different types of computers:
Desk Top Computers Lap Top Computers Cell Phones
Consists of a monitor, key board
and mouse. Speakers can be
internal or external.
Other items such as web cams,
additional software and hardware
can be purchased for games,
photography and video.
Light enough and small enough to
be carried yet big enough to type
on using both hands. Speakers,
keyboard and mouse are all in the
lap top but you can purchase these
items and attach them externally.
Other items such as web cams,
additional software and hardware
can be purchased for games,
photography and video.
Cell phones come in all shapes and
sizes. People will personalize cell
phones to take on their
personalities. Cell phones have
internet capabilities just like Desk
top computers and Lap Tops.
They are mostly used to talk inter-
personally but they can be used
for e-mailing through text
messaging, picture taking and
video recording. Blackberry
phones have a full key board but
only large enough for a finger to
tap it or a small pointer to tap it.
Business, Educational and
Personal use
Business, Educational and
Personal use
Business, Educational and
Personal use
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The Future of Computers
BusinessThe future of computers for Business is
extremely promising. Here are a few
ways they will assist in our economic
world.
Word processing short cuts will aid in
more cost effective and time saving
jobs.
Artists, writers and musicians who
would normally never be heard of or
seen will be discovered and will not
have to leave their home to perform.
Artificial Intelligence will be able to
guide people through the massive
World Wide Web as well as direct,
advise and council people in their
daily lives.
Business will not have to keep paper
files; everything can be located in a
secure file on the computer, saving
millions of trees.
More people will work from home.
This will help the environment.
Private usePeople use computers for the following:
Fun: inter active & virtual games.
Exploring their identities and others,
Learning and business.
People have will continue to influence
politics by forming factions on line.
Activists will mobilize and band
together world wide to make a
difference for their equality in the
world not just in their physical
community.
Virtual worlds may become some
people’s real world.
Gaming and chat rooms could be
tomorrow’s favorite outing or social
event even though they stay home.
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Summary Computers are creating a culture of their own. A culture where there are many voices
that can and will be heard by someone at some point in time. These voices can’t feel or touch
each other but they communicate and try to give a sense of humanity. Computers help with
communication, education and peoples personal lives but they can also isolate people from each
other physically and emotionally. The future use of computers will change the world because it
is changing how we think about others and ourselves. People are able to understand cultures,
societies they would have never been able to understand before because they are connected
through the World Wide Web.
References Bitter and Legacy, (2008).Using Technology in the Classroom. Pearson Education, Inc.
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