Catalysts for Change in the Information Age

A period of time characterized by unprecedented access to information, driven by technological advancements.

Factors that significantly drive advancements and changes in technology during the Information Age.

Affordable computers that have made information access more widespread.

Networks allowing for fast transfer of information, facilitating communication and access.

A smartphone exemplifying the capabilities and functions of devices in the Information Age.

Networked devices with embedded processors are ubiquitous, impacting daily interactions.

Social conditions drive the creation and adoption of technologies, and in turn, these technologies change societies.

Early tools like clay tablets, slates, and abacuses were used for calculations.

Early mechanical calculators (like Pascal's and Leibniz's) assisted with calculations but were often unreliable.

Punched cards enabled sorting and calculations in the late 19th century, leading to data processing systems.

A system that receives input, performs calculations, and generates output, essential for managing data.

The increasing need for precise calculations during industrialization drove demand and adoption of calculators.

The use of calculators led to the decline of men's roles and an increase in women's roles in bookkeeping, with a drop in wages for jobs.

Cash registers were invented as a solution to accuracy and fraud prevention in department stores.

Businesses like IBM and Remington-Rand produced and supplied early computers, which changed their information management needs.

Despite knowing about the inhumanity IBN continued to work with the German government, helping them compile lists of oppressed groups, such as Jews.

Symbolic representation of machine instructions; programs are as long as written in machine language

First higher-level language; shorter programs designed for scientific applications

U.S. Department of Defense standard; designed for business applications

Divide computer time among multiple users connected through terminals

Simple, easy-to-learn programming language, popular for teaching programming

Replaced vacuum tubes; invented at Bell Labs (1948)

Faster, cheaper, more reliable, and more energy-efficient than previous materials

Semiconductor containing transistors, capacitors, and resistors

Series of 19 computers with varying power; all computers could run same programs

Computer inside a semiconductor chip; invented in 1970 at Intel

Affordable computers that became popular; Apple and TRS-80 being some examples

Computer spreadsheet program that made personal computers attractive for businesses

Decentralized network created by the DoD to improve survivability, using packet switching

A program that searches a database of documents to find those matching specific keywords entered by the user.

A measure of a webpage's importance and quality, based on the number and quality of other pages linking to it.

Storing data on remote servers accessible over the internet.

Devices used to create, store, manipulate, exchange, and distribute data, including text, sound, and images.

The illegal copying and distribution of copyrighted material, often facilitated by digitization and the internet.

Concerns about the safety and security of data stored in cloud services, including the risk of hacking.

Convenience of credit cards increases the risk of identity theft because of the sensitive information stored.

A review of loans based on credit history, without a personal interview, offering lower interest rates but with less flexibility.

The legal liability in case of system failures in embedded devices causing harm to humans is challenging.

Working from a remote location, offering flexibility in working hours and locations.

Improved global communication networks allow expansive markets but raise concerns about working conditions in global factories.

Social media can serve as a tool for democracy, but also as a tool for totalitarian governments to manipulate information.

Tomlinson at BBN developed software for sending and receiving email messages. Roberts also created email utilities.

Email is a vital communication tool, with billions of messages exchanged daily in the U.S.

Kahn conceived a network with open architecture. Cerf and Kahn designed TCP/IP protocol, allowing networks to communicate.

The National Science Foundation created NSFNET, granting access to universities and encouraging commercial use. However, commercial traffic was later banned, and private networks eventually replaced it.

Broadband is a high-speed internet connection enabling large file transfers like video.

Cell phones, originally heavy, now support text messaging and high-speed internet.

Hotspots are wireless internet access points, typically using Wi-Fi technology.

Cloud computing uses remote computing resources accessed via the internet.

Scalability in huge data centers allows for economies of scale and flexible resource allocation for users.

Remote computing resources give applications to users. (e.g., Office 365)

The Greek alphabet was the first true alphabet, using letters for both consonants and vowels, allowing spoken language recording and facilitating transition to written culture.

A codex is a rectangular book where pages are sewn together. It replaced papyrus scrolls, allowing easier access to specific passages.

Paper originated in China, and later replaced parchment for less expensive books (codexes) after reaching Europe during the late Middle Ages.

The Gutenberg printing press used movable metal type, impacting the Reformation by enabling mass publication, aiding the spread of ideas and information.

Newspapers facilitated free expression, but governments regulated them through licensing and censorship. Newspapers contributed to unification and public opinion during the American Revolution.

Hypertext, envisioned by Vannevar Bush, developed by Ted Nelson, allows for interconnected (linked) information.

A user-friendly computer interface employing a visual representation (windows, icons, and a mouse) rather than commands.

Xerox PARC developed a personal computer (Alto) with a GUI, keyboard, and mouse, influencing later computer design.

Apple Macintosh, inspired by Xerox PARC, included a GUI, keyboard, and mouse, and influenced personal computer development.