A Brief History of Computing and Its Impact on Society PDF

a brief history of computing and its impact on society Dr Kazeem O. Oyebode PhD Computer Engineering LEARNING OBJECTIVES Explain the historical development of computing technologies. Highlight the impact of computing technologies on various industries, including healthcare,...

a brief history of computing and its impact on society Dr Kazeem O. Oyebode PhD Computer Engineering LEARNING OBJECTIVES Explain the historical development of computing technologies. Highlight the impact of computing technologies on various industries, including healthcare, education, and entertainment. Highlight the downsides of computing technologies. History of computing Computing may be traced back to prehistoric times when humans employed machines such as the Abacus to carry out mathematical computations. The Abacus Computer - Mechanical computer How to count 9 in abacus  Vacuum Tube Computers (1940s-1950s) The first computers did not appear until the 1940s. The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator), a general-purpose electronic computer that could be reprogrammed for different purposes, was one of the first computers. Presper Eckert and his colleagues designed and built it at the University of Pennsylvania between 1943 and 1945. It housed about 17,000 vacuum tubes. The ENIAC, designed and built at University of Pennsylvania, 1943–45.  Transistors and integrated Circuits (1950s-1970s) By replacing hefty vacuum tubes, the transistor's development in 1947 transformed computing technology. Computers were more compact, dependable, and effective thanks to transistors. The idea of integrated circuits arose in the late 1950s and early 1960s, enabling the miniaturization of several transistors and their placement on a single silicon chip. Transistors and Integrated Circuits computers (1950s- 1970s) Integrated circuits Personal computers The first personal computers were developed as a result of the early 1970s microprocessor revolution. Fast forward another 30 years, and many of today's computers may be found on desktops, laptops, and, most recently, smartphones. Their relative weights and energy consumption have reduced dramatically, but their processing speed has grown dramatically. microprocessor Modern computers Computer benefits The advent of these computers has also brought about their connection to the Internet. Because of this development, computers have now been useful in different sectors, such as education, entertainment, communication, and health. Education Computers have enhanced education. This is because they are connected, and provide access to information. This has helped enhanced literacy levels, especially in remote places where educational institutions are not accessible. It compliments formal education. Education Communication Computers have also enhanced communication. Communication via text, and instant messaging applications, such as WhatsApp, Yahoo Messenger, Twitter, and Facebook is made possible because computers exist. It has brought people together more than ever before. Communication Communication For example, during the Covid19 pandemic, computers played a vital role – they brought people together despite the lockdown. Health Computers have made it possible to view digital images, such as images of organs for objective diagnosis. Health It is also possible to send images to medical experts via a computer for collaboration purposes. Entertainment Computers have also enhanced entertainment.This is so because computers can process instructions very fast, as such, they are useful for playing games. Entertainment Furthermore, it is now possible to play games with friends thousands of miles apart. Thanks to the computers. ethical implications of computing technologies However, these advancements have also brought new challenges, such as cyber-security, cyberbullying, and privacy concerns. ethical implications of computing technologies Cyber threats include shutting computers down illegally. Cyberbullying is also possible in social media spaces. For example, instructing online users to do things against their will and then sending threats to them. Privacy concerns could come in the form of stealing private information such as credit card information. Privacy concerns of computing Mitigating cyber bullying Report to the Police Mitigating cyber Threat Ensure you have security hardware and software installed on your network Do not share your password Mitigating cyber Threat Ensure you have security hardware and software installed on your network Summar y Summary We discussed the historical development of computing technologies. We discussed the benefits of computers in different sectors such as health, education and entertainment We also mentioned the loopholes attributed to computing technologies FURTHER READING RESOURCES Introduction to computing systems, from bits & gates to C / C+ + & beyond. Third edition. By yale n. patt and sanjay j. patel Reference Bright, S. (2017, August 18). Computer Fundamentals: Introduction to Computer, Uses of Computer, Main Components of Computer, Input Devices, Output Devices, Hardware, Software, Operating System, and Internet. Patt, Y. N., & Patel, S. (2019, August 15). Loose Leaf for Introduction to Computing Systems: from Bits & Gates to C/C++ & Beyond. Silberschatz, A., Galvin, P. B., & Gagne, G. (2004, November 30). Operating System Concepts. https://doi.org/10.1604/9780471694663 Schuster, A. J. (Ed.). (2017, August 4). Understanding Information: From the Big Bang to Big Data. Springer. In-Text Citation: (Schuster, 2017) Thank You