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2000/11/17 1
The Social Impact of the Computer
J.A.N. Lee
Virginia Tech
2000/11/17 2
A HISTORICAL APPROACH
• When did computers begin to have an effect on people?
• How have we been affected?
• What HAVE we done?
• Have we become too dependent on computers?
• What can we do about it?
2000/11/17 3
When did computers begin to have an effect on people?
• The early machines - one-off, isolated• 1950: UNIVAC - the first multi-frame machine• 1955: IBM 650 - the first University machine• 1960: IBM 1620 - the first College machine• The period of the “priest-hood” of programmers
2000/11/17 4
Early Programming
2000/11/17 5
When did computers begin to have an effect on people?
• 1965-1975: Time sharing– 1964: The first e-mail
– “Personal computing”
– Immediate feedback
– Programming by trial and error
• 1965 - The introduction of the mini-computer• The beginning of the period of computing as a
“public utility” - for the privileged few
2000/11/17 6
When did computers begin to have an effect on people?
• 1970s - The microcomputer for enthusiasts• 1975 - Computers in the office• 1980 - The IBM PC• 1984 - The Macintosh• The period of the “HOME” computer• And since then …
The INTERNET
For the Millions
2000/11/17 7
When did computers begin to have an effect on people?
• 1940 - first computation over telephone lines• 1960s - the MODEM and Timesharing• 1970s - networking• 1980s - ARPANet, NSFNet, BITNET, …
– News groups, LISTSERVs, • 1990s - The INTERNET - WWW
– The period of ubiquitous computing
2000/11/17 8
Ringing the ChangesComputeras a Number Cruncher
Computeras a Utility
Computeras a Communicator
Computeras a generalpurpose system
Computeras a SearchEngine
Computeras a Tool
2000/11/17 9
How have we been affected?
• The early days:– “computerists” became addicted– but proud and dedicated– to the public - the concept of the GIANT
BRAIN– to the insiders - the dumb, recalcitrant,
moronic computer
2000/11/17 10
How have we been affected?
• 1950s - the emergence of the HACKER
• 1960s - the identification of the user– The computer replaces the slide rule– The job of the “future”– The era of job swapping
• 1970s - the connected user• 1980s - the personal computer• 1990s - the on-line millions
2000/11/17 11
How have we been affected?
• Users have moved from being an elite “professionally responsible” to a community with widely varying attitudes
• Very high level applications allow anyone to develop a program
• Including the untrained, the untrainable, and the don’t-wannabe-trained
2000/11/17 12
The stages of impact
• Direct replacement of an activity with little change in productivity
• Enhancement of activities by improvements in speed and efficiency
• Extending activities to those that could not be done previously
2000/11/17 13
What HAVE we done?
• Created a “DIGITAL DIVIDE”– The have’s and the have’nots
• Between schools, between school districts
• Between the old and the young
• Between parents and children
• Between male and female
• Between rich and poor
• Between town and country
2000/11/17 14
What HAVE we done?
• Look at almost any job description!• Qualifications for a secretary:
(1) ...Working knowledge of standard office practices, equipment and word- processing software; ….Preferences given for experience with spreadsheets and graphics software, Microsoft Word, Word Equation and Excel; ... experience editing and proofreading complex documents. (2) Preferences given for experience working on a Mac OS, experience with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Banner, experience maintaining a
database.
2000/11/17 15
1970 IBM Advertisement
2000/11/17 16
Yesterday, Marion was a billing clerkToday, she’s a whole department.
Friden Advertisement1965
2000/11/17 17
What HAVE we done?
• WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR:– Must be computer literate to include word
processing, spreadsheets, web-based research, and email. Must have a valid vehicle operator's permit and a good driving record.
We have changed people’s livesFor good or bad?
2000/11/17 18
Informality vs the Archive
• The e-mail seemed so innocent. "Betty, hi," he remembers cheerfully typing to his colleague. "I haven't been successful reaching you by phone, so I'll try e-mail instead."
• And so Bill Lampton--then an employee of a large hospital--dashed off the rest of his note on some trivial office matter and hit the send button.
• Betty never got past the greeting.
• "I have no idea what you mean about my not returning phone calls," Lampton recalls Betty firing back. "To have you accuse me of ignoring your calls is unthinkable and inexcusable. . . . As to the purpose of the e-mail that you sent me, I prefer not to respond, as I dislike dealing with anyone who assumes the worst of me."
2000/11/17 19
Have we become too dependent on computers?
• Have we become too dependent on:
Steel?Cars?Oil?Electricity?Telephones?Plastic?
Television? Housing?Airplanes?Clothing?Prosthetics?Society?
2000/11/17 20
What have we done to Society?
• Collapsed time?
• Collapsed space?
• Broken down natural barriers?
• Intermixed incompatible attitudes?
• Invaded privacy?
• Made it vulnerable?
• Created an information overload?
2000/11/17 21
2000/11/17 22
What have we done to Society?
• Provided a new industry with expanding employment needs
• New life for old industries• Improved communications• Created tools that would otherwise be impossible• Saved time• Changed the “Atomic Age” into the “Information
Age”
For
2000/11/17 23
What are the dangers?
• Using computers where simpler solutions exist
• Using software in critical situations – Safety critical applications– Mission critical systems
BUT AREN’T THESE OFFSET BY ADVANTAGES?
2000/11/17 24
What are the advantages?
• Using software in critical situations – Safety critical applications– Mission critical systems
• More easily upgradeable, replaceable
• Millions of new uses, new capabilities
2000/11/17 25
What can we do about it?
• Should we become Luddites?• (See http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Luddite)
2000/11/17 26
Should we have killed the railroad engine?
2000/11/17 27
Should we NOT continue to develop the computer?
• We cannot go backward
• We have not had a MAJOR breakthrough since 1970 - the integrated circuit
• What is the next big step going to be and where?
• What will be the effect?
2000/11/17 28
Progress, Development, Evolution
• Whatever we do– We will not stop progress
– We will not stop people using our products in ways that we do appreciate
– And we WILL find new uses and applications that will be advantageous
2000/11/17 29
Stopping ProgressAn Example
2000/11/17 30
One last thought• Martin Luther King:
“Our technology is outstripping our spirituality”
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