Past, Present and Future of Computers in my LifeBy

Jamie ColburnEDT 321

1

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

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.

5

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

6

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

7

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.

8

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.

9