05 The Computer Shabnum R.

When thinking about technology in the 1940, you wouldn’t think that computers would be a possibility to create one and have to them be created for the government, whose interests was to create one for the military.  Reading chapter 8 in the “The Innovators,” Vannevar Bush had envisioned that people would have the possibility to have there own computer where you can store all your information such as music, books, and files of other sorts. Not just this chapter but the book and documentary of “The Machines that changed the World” the vision that these people saw for the hope of an idea would be created to in real life. These people knew the opportunities they had to create their vision, they didn’t expect difficulties but when it did, that didn’t stop them from completing what was expected of them.  It’s to see that people like Bush, Jobs, Gates, and other continued on their expansion of computers and giving it more life to it. If these people didn’t have the imagination to pursue their idea we don’t know where we would be at now. It’s nice that they give hope to our future.

05-The Computer-Cara-T

What is the most interesting development from the reading?

One could argue Baran’s approach to packet switching and how hard of a sell it was to the phone company at the time. The collaboration of ideas stated through the analogy of building a cathedral, lead to the invention of the internet and the PC, even though some later tried to claim it was all their idea. I found the term “Augmented Intelligence”, coined by Engelbart, to be very insightful and still accurate in modern times.

I found these ideas and many others very interesting. However, Kay’s idea for the dynabook was what most interesting development of its time. Kay’s idea was leaps ahead of his time. He posed the idea of a self contained, light, small, portable computer that anyone could use. Almost everyone laughed at him, but this laid the precursor to self-contained, independent, and truly personal computers. The ingenuity with pooling budgets and making it a collaborative effort did move the project along, but also set it back due to concessions that were made working on a group effort. He proposed what was essentially the first laptop. Xerox would have become much more profitable and successful if they had truly listened and implemented Kay’s ideas exactly, making the device more user friendly and cheaper. This opened the door for the MITS to introduce their Altair 8800. Who knows what would have happened if this hadn’t been the case.

05 THE COMPUTER -Keshavk

After reading the chapter “The personal Computer” I found the invention of the mouse is the most interesting development in the history of the mouse. Douglas Engelbart, was one of the pioneer computer scientist who changed the use of  the computer in different way. His invention of the mouse was the breakthrough in the personal computer industry. After the invention of mouse people can able to control the computer and manipulated. Engelbart was highly influenced by Vannevar Bush article “As We May Think”. Bush already explained the concept that human can able to directly connect to the computer. Even he predicted about today’s Internet, where people share files, communicate with video. Engelbart applied the same concept and proved the world that Bush prediction was true. Engelbart invented mouse as well as NLS (online system) and his friend Bill English demonstrated all his ideas On December 9 in San Francisco in front of many computer industry people. Alan Kay and many other scientists were inspired by Engelbart “The Mother of all Demos” and carried his vision to further development process of the personal computer

05 – The Computer – Ahmad O

Here are my questions:

During 1960’s, what were the impacts of new innovations on our cultures?
What were some of the culture forces that block the adoption of personal computer?
How government funding in new programs could help individuals invent new machines?
What are some other ways that we could augment human intellect in our daily life?

05 The Computer Yodit R

These are the questions I thought I about

1. How does the copy right law work with inventing idea for computer?
2. How do we address the concern about computers taking over people’s job and creating economical and social problem?
3. This reading also raises the question about security in relation computer development? Privacy personal information.
4. How do we know if people are getting enough credit for their role in developing computer? Sometimes it looks like someone gets credit for the idea someone else came up with.

05-The Computer Cody Spraker

The most important computer invention I believe the handheld interface to a computer, commonly known today as the mouse. I believe the mouse had the most profound effect for a simple reason, the mouse was simple. It wasn’t a complicated device that people had to learn how to operate in order to use. It was designed to be operated at the most basic level of intuition and allowed people to feel the connection to the computer in a way never before possible. This allowed the computer-operator symbiotic relationship to go to a new level. It has had the biggest effect on the ongoing development of UI of computers across all operating systems. It allowed children to become computer users and open an entire new field of software that interfaced with children.This style of software led to the development of childlike simplicity that makes computers friendly and usable like they are today.

The criteria that I used to evaluate the importance of mouse was based on its overall utility in relation to the amount of development that it took to come up with. Even ignoring how little work was put into creating it, the mouse still could be considered the most significant invention for use in computing. It is one of the few technologies that is in use in every operating system today. Between the keyboard and mouse, these are the two interfaces that are in use by every computer and form the foundation of any users interaction with a computer. Hardware manufacturers and software developers had to play well with the mouse and rarely do technologies get this level of respect and use while still maintaining the same basic design and features after so many years.

05. The Computer – Yosuf Z.

The computer is the greatest invention of the 20th century. Without the computer we would not have many of the things which we do now in the 21st century.  Many of the things which we take for granted would have never materialized were it not for the smallest microchip. or the simplest idea.  Each small step played a part in creating something huge.  The invention ENIAC and UNIVAC, the invention of binary language, the invention of the mouse, the invention of a graphical user interface…they are all pieces of a whole.

Once technology was the driving force behind sending mankind to the moon.  Today we have technology like smartphones and tablets, flat screen TV’s, the internet, and many other things which help to make our lives easier.  We can cure things like cancer, and perform medical operations which would have once been thought of as impossible.  Countless practical applications have been made possible simply because of the computer., because of things like microchips and transistors.

People like Steve Jobs and others were the visionaries behind all of these inventions, and technology is moving at a faster pace today than it ever has at any point in our history.  With the sort of instant gratification we have now, several questions arise.  Are we moving to fast for our own good?  Who will the next true technological visionary be?  What will be the next invention that will truly change every aspect of our lives in the way that the computer has?    What will the computer eventually  evolve into?  What will be the next great challenge which we rise to meet as a species?

Time will tell us the answer as we continually break new ground each day, but the computer will continue to always remain at the center of advancement.  Every piece of technology which we have today has been built around the computer and what it can do.  It has become something which none of us can live without.  It is something we need, and it has given us all a shared identity not only as a nation, but as an entire human race

05 – The Computer – David P

I think one of the most interesting developments was the computer mouse. I found it interesting that the initial inspiration for the mouse was the planimeter. Isaacson describes the connection between these two devices to be wheels moving in different directions; one vertical, one horizontal. For Engelbart’s breakthrough, he realized that the mouse could output different levels of voltages as the wheels underneath it registered different positions. These varying signals could then be read by the computer to move the cursor up, down, left, or right.

05 The Computer – Natasha S.

“As We May Think”

After the reading this chapter, the two corresponding questions arose as follows:

1. When Vannevar Bush first envisioned the idea of a personal computer in 1945, it took scientists and engineers only a few decades to create one. What other seemingly unrealistic gadgets and innovations are about to come to life and how soon?

2. Computers were created and used mainly as military and industrial tools long before became personalized. If there are other tools, technologies, machines widely used specifically in the manufacture, military and other professional areas that may become a life necessity for every human.

“The Cultural Brew”

The 1960s created new social waves and cultures, whose adherents truly believed in the freedom of thoughts and acts, as well as high independence from the government and  corporations. During this wave the computer was announced as a creative force to prolong a person`s power. Following this historical event there is might be a question if a computer was solely promoted and spread by social forces of that time (not because of the uniqueness but because “It is just in trend/popular”).

“Douglas Engelbart”

Douglas Engelbart was a creator of a first computer mouse along with other numerous ideas (graphic displays, augmented intelligence, and so on). Since then enormous changes have been made to simplify the computer. What could be other ideas to bring to life in order to make a computer a simple tool to use but with more functions to be able to perform?

What were the driven sources and main motives for people like Alan Kay and Ed Roberts for inventions? Are there any present examples of nowadays` technology genius we can name?

05-Computer-Ki.L

How did Vannevar Bush’s invention of the memex machine influenced Engelbart’s mission to augment human intelligence?
What did Engelbart do to find an easy way for human to interact with machines?