A (short) history of Computing and the Internet (Lecture 2)

The computer and the internet developed in much the same way as all technology does- Gradually. A number of different educated people have left their mark on this development over a number of years. From Charles Babbage, who invented the first mechanical digital computer and the Analytical Engine in the 1800's, to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who produced the Apple II (the first PC for people who weren't techies.)

The lecture also went into the distinctions between the Internet and the Web.

I got the impression that this distinction means alot to the "computer nerds". It must be frustrating when researching something of interest on the web is referred to as "I just looked it up on the internet" 

The reason behind this frustration is the fact that the web is just one single part of the broader internet which includes many other things as well as the web.

Yet another aspect of the internet is cyberspace. It is a conceptual space where words, relationships, data, ideas, wealth and power exist and it has been debated on whether cyberspace is a 'consensual hallucination' or just another form of reality. This is a profound question, so I am aware of why the answer is debated. 

As much as technology has made our day to day lives easier, I have to wonder how beneficial it ultimately is. People rely on technology to a huge extent, and this extent is only getting larger as technology develops. Thus, we are increasingly further from the natural life we used to live. For example, in preparation for winter, we used to chop our own firewood instead of ordering an electric heater online. We'd catch up with friends over a good meal, rather than post them a message on their 'facebook wall'. So when you look at it like that, you could say technology is robbing us of our skills! in terms of our social and physical ability. 

I believe the 'consensual hallucination' is becoming our reality. Whether this has more benefits than problems is another question. I suppose where we are today is a result from our natural progression as a species.