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The information revolution - Coggle Diagram
The information revolution
intro
humans have long tried to facilitate the spread of information in faster and more reliable ways
invention of writing
preserved information for future generations
invention of printing press (1455)
made it easier to spread information by producing multiple copies of the same text
successful inventions
design for analytical engine (1830s)
Charles Babbage with the help of Ada Lovelace
design was never fully completed
telephone (1870)
Alexander Bell
created new means over which information could be shared
Turing Machine
Alan Turing (British mathematical genius)
cracked Nazi's Enigma codes
an abstract mathematical model of computation
Colossus
Tim Flowers (British Engineer)
machine that could decode messages at previously unimaginable speeds
a number of these machines were built but they were destroyed at the end of WWII to avoid them being used or copied by other countries
first electronic computer
information revolution - the rapid increase of the availability of information and the accompanying changes in its storage and dissemination owing to the use of computers
Various factors that have driven the Information Revolution
rise of information based occupations that required the efficient storage and processing of information
office work/finance/banking/etc.
development of cheap computing power in the 1980s and especially in the 1990s that followed the development of microprocessors in the 1970s
presence of the internet
global network that could be utilized to connect information providers and information consumers anywhere in the world
internet
1969 - US defence department through ARPA (Advance Research Projects Agency) started building a computer network known as ARPANET
started as small network connecting 4 computers at different US Universities and was developed and improved over the next couple of decades
1970s - number of computers on ARPANET increased
Networks were also being developed in other parts of the world
1980 - 2 computer scientists came up with the first internet protocol (IP) that allowed networks to communicate with eachother
soon, ARPANET and all other networks were connected to one another, giving rise to the INTERNET
by end of 1987 - ARPANET had grown to a network of over 20,000 computers
these were at universities, companies and governments and were not yet accessible to the public
1989 - first internet service providers (ISPs) which connected users to the available networks (still not accessible to the general public)
however, as the internet grew, it became more and more difficult to navigate and find what was needed since at the time there was no such thing as the web and websites did not exist
Tom Berners-Lee working at CERN invented the worldwide web
he found a much more efficient way of navigating the internet using a system known as hypertext
made it so much easier to go from one part of the internet to another
1991 - CERN developed the first website
1993 - web was made accessible to the public
and the last major part of today's internet was in place
distinction between internet, web and hyperlink
internet = network of networks
web = means of accessing data online in the form of websites and hyperlinks
hyperlink = icon, graphic, or text that links to a file or object
how development of internet led to a rapid change in the field of digital technology
computers keep becoming much faster, while tablets and smartphones offer powerful systems in a miniature package
cloud computing and data storage have become efficient and cost effective
virtual assistants (Google Assistant/Siri/Alexa/Cortana) have become part and parcel of personal computing
social networking has become a way of life, particularly in the more developed countries
the internet of things is increasingly changing many aspects of our lives, as devices collect and transfer data between themselves and other devices over the internet
Implications for politics and contemporary democracies
before internet and social media, information used to flow from the few to the many VS nowadays, information flows in multiple directions, from the many to the many
governments and political parties have appropriated social media to pass on information and propaganda
however, citizens and social movements also have access to the social media and can have their own say too
social movements can organise an mobilise through online and mobile communication systems
unfortunately, these facilities have also been appropriated by extremists and terrorists for their devious aims
Non democratic regimes also have to deal with this reality to access info
taking down the internet - common tactic of such regimes (regimes = form of government)
but servers can be replaced in other countries and the internet is often accessed through VPNs
increasing social injustice and inequality creating a digital divide and barrier between the rich and the poor
this has consequences for their education and future prospects
Critical thinking skills and the ability to question are extremely important in maximizing the benefits of this access to information
fake news and misinformation are unfortunately part and parcel of democratization that the information revolution has brought about
Education for the 21st century needs to evolve to address this reality and to help people contribute effectively to the information society we live in