The “Modern History of Computing”, dated 2000, and updated in 2006, which I found a bit ironic because of its abbreviated and “get to the facts” presentation of information. Though it makes sense, I did not know that the computer originated from the common calculator. Cambridge University’s Mathematics Professor Babbage’s calculator transformed from its original computing mathematical tables. I thought it was very poetic (pun intended) that while working with Ada Lovelace, Babbage began to open his mind to other possibilities for the machine. The romantic in me thinks that literature somehow factored (pun intended) in this equation (pun intended). Alas, like most great ideas for future technological inventions that Babbage may have envisioned, would not manifest for years and would in fact change directions that he may have intended.
What I noticed throughout this abbreviated but sufficiently thorough historical piece was that with each level of technological advancement, the intent was not to start over or recreate the wheel, but to make the invention better or to expand on what existed. Babbage adopted the idea of analytical machines which were later developed them for wider use, and those machines were analog machines. Analog machines were not as cost efficient the machines that were decided for usage were the turning machines. And so on…
With “The Web at 25: Revisiting Tim Berners-Lee’s Amazing Proposal”, I remind myself that the greatest minds are British and they must have the gift of foresight or hidden away time travel machines. Berners-Lee’s modest proposal was simple- information management: expanding on existing ideas, realistic expectations, aiming for compatibility, simplicity, and anticipating a product or service that all businesses would need and would want to develop. Again, expanding on what exists and forward thinking never hurt humanity.
Gleick’s “The Information” defines information, analyzes information, and relates information with other references. For example, he begins his article with an event that results in the Mathematical Theory of Communication, measurable and quantifiable information. He goes on to give examples of how we have been conditioned to accept scientific and mathematic information as important. On the contrary, we are actually experiencing TMI (too much information) and that we grew/continue to grow too dependent on that information, which somewhat connects to “The Long Tail”.
I think I connected to the “The Long Tail” the most. I have never been a person who NEEDED to see what music or movies everyone felt was relevant and popular OR what polls and ranks TOLD me what was relevant and popular. The hit-driven culture has become daunting under current economics. Now, with new data from sales research teams, entertainment companies no longer force their most lucrative movies and music, they now make all material available, even the unpopular material.