1.) Maybe it's just me and my inexperience and limited knowledge of computers, but if Johny von Neumann was as brilliant as this article claims, why is he not one of the most prominent names we learn of in the technology field? (Like we hear of Babbage or Turig) Even though he can't get exact credit neccesarily, I still feel he deserves to be mentioned.
2.) Von Neumann said " he regarded the computer as a technical device functioning as an extension of its user; it would lead to an aggrandizement of the human brain, and von Neumann wanted to push this aggrandizement as far and as fast as possible" do you think that his regard of the computer is true today? Is the computer merely an extension of the brain making us smarter or is it used as a substitute for thinking on our own and using everyday brainpower?
3.) Why is it that it is human nature to fall into a state of entropy? How can chaos, confusion, and things falling apart be a natural and easy instinct? I don't see much positivity in that.
Hacker, B.C., 1993. Engineering a New Order: Military Institutions, Technical Education, and the Rise of the Industrial State. Technology and Culture, 34(1).
1.) Without the invention of guns and gunpowder, what would wars be like today? Would the "art of war" be the same?
2.) I find it scary how much our society evolves based on military weapons... Is each country's dominance or advancements established by their military intel? I am sure that there are weapons and ballistics beyond even my wildest dreams that we have created.. Why does our society find it so important to stress military advancements over all other areas of life such as economics, politics or education?
3.) If "Innovations in 19th century military technology mostly came from nonmilitary sources" what are these sources the article is discussing?
O’Regan, G., Chapter 6 - The Internet Revolution. In A Brief History of Computing.
1.) I feel like everything we do in our society today comes from the internet. Whether it be networking, communicating, art, or research, the internet plays an insanely vital role in everyday life. Where would we be today without the internet? Has the internet substituted real face to face communication or real field research?
2.) Bush had a visionary information management system called "the memex," which he believed would be a memory extender. This goes back to my previous question above... Do we think the internet and use of technology has extended our memory and expanded our full potential or has it hindered it and took the place of real brainpower?
3.) This article is a bit confusing for someone who has absolutely NO computer/technology background and had to look up a lot of the terminology used. (ARPANET, NSFNET...what?!) For someone of my circumstances, is there an easier or more simple article so I can understand the basics of information technology before I take a huge leap into these unknown territories?
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