Procrastination by Regina Arnold - Book Report/Review Example

?Book Review: Computer Sciences and Information Technology Task: Book Review: Computer Sciences and Information Technology Introduction Computers and computing is considered one of the areas where technological advancement has been exceptional. The emergence of computing started with advancements in 1930s causing major impact. The modern day computer development has resulted from tremendous work done by people over centuries. Furthermore, modern day computer science scholars are increasingly contributing in the history of computing. It is noteworthy that advancement in computers has also transformed the communication landscape. Computers are presently being used in information exchange in any form. This has created advancement in information technology globally. This paper appreciates that people comprehend the history of computing differently because some opinions are informed by traces of information available today of what happened in the past while others viewpoints are informed by issues about computers that are of interest today. Therefore, it presents a timeline on the history of computing according to my own understanding. History of Computing: The Timelines The 14th BC – 1800’s – Abacus and the Slide Rule Abacus remains one of the most primitive machines purposefully developed to aid people in computations. The machine has been on use several centuries even after better-designed devices started coming into the market. Around 17th BC a device that worked even in a more interesting way to assist in calculations was generated. The Slide Rule worked manually in doing calculations. Its components included a simple ruler and an impermanent piece that had graduations of parallel logarithmic ranges (Turner, 2006). The greater need to make computations even more easy generated more interest among scholars leading to additional innovations. Blaise Pascal another mathematician designed Pascaline. The mechanical calculator, which acted as an adding machine was developed in 1642, further facilitated the creation of Pascal programming language. 1800’s - Difference Engine and Analytical Engine Charles Babbage also developed what was famously called a “Difference Engine” in 1830’s. However, later it designed another device “Analytical Engine.” Both of these designs had five important components that have remained key features of modern computers. The Engines had an input device, component that stored numbers to be calculated, a processor that computed numbers, a component that controlled all machines’ tasks, and finally a component to generate processed numbers. Herman Hollerith also developed the first ever device using electricity to compute numbers in 1890’s. 1900 – 1950 – Computing Machines The period between 1900 and 1950 also saw major computing advancements taking place. Howard Aiken in 1932 started working for IBM and developed the Harvard Mark 1 an electromechanical engine that borrowed massively from Babbage’s Analytical Engine. The period around 1939 saw Atanasoff Berry and Clifford Berry of Iowa State University expanded the computing world by creating the first device that worked electronically. The machine used a binary system in calculations and used different components for processing numbers and storage. Further, in 1943, in order to emerge superior during the British war, many vacuum tube computers emerged and were used to disable the German codes; thus, led to end of the war faster (Black, 2001).  The machines were named Colossus Mark 2. In 1946, John Mauchly and Presper Eckert both expanded the ideas behind Colossus in order to come up with Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, ENIAC that emerged as the world’s all-purpose computer (Black, 2001). John Von Neumann further developed ENIAC to create an Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer, EDVAC that generated computers that are more superior. 1950 – 1970 – Punch Card Technology The computing world welcomed the first computers to be commercially supplied to the markets. These were generated under the “punch card technology” platform. Remington Rand created this technology in 1951. The computer had a memory consisting of magnetic tapes that had a storage capacity of 1MB. In 1960’s, the transistor based technology application in computers making started and enabled the developed devices to be switched on and off. The internet technology also emerged in 1969 because of military activities that employed the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network, ARPAnet in the war front. The Integrated Circuits (IC) based expertise emerged between 1969 and 1977. 1970’s – A leap into the Modern Computing World In 1976, CRAY 1 also emerged as the globe’s foremost electronic digital computer. In the same year, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs designed Apple, which were originally similar to modern computers because of peripherals such as mouse and key board. The device also had a floppy drive that could hold disks. Between 1978 and 1986, the history of computing welcomed large-scale integration (LSI). Apple (Isaacson, 2011) the period a larger computer with a mouse wad develops this system.  Indeed, they are the foremost to create windows brand. From this period onwards, networked computing started taking advantage of the technological gains by Tim Berners Lee who developed the networked systems famously known as the World Wide Web, WWW. 1991 – Computing Attaining Maturity With the use of WWW, computing was finally taken to a new level because 1992, Bill Gates Company Microsoft Corporation developed Windows 3.1. This operating system facilitated the realization of compatibility between IBM and its associated attuned PCs. This was made possible by integrating the new graphical user technology advancement into the software. The Corporation also created a program which was similar to one originally created by Apple company leading to legal contestation from the original owners of the copyright (Isaacson, 2011). Microsoft Corporation won the case and went on to develop Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows XP among others further. It is notable that many computer users today install Windows operating systems, which is the most common. It is also appreciated that many are using other operating systems such as Mac championed by Apple (Isaacson, 2011).  In 1995, major commercial internet service providers (ISPs) started offering enormous quantities of services. The world of computing also welcomed the Personal Digital Assistants into the market in 1996. The PDAs are considered as some of the greatest achievements of by practitioners in the computing world because of the amount of work they can undertake, the PDAs can complete mathematical computations, play games, play and download music and other information contained in the internet (Isaacson, 2011). This completes the history of computing in a summarized manner. The 2000’s – Present The computing world has started venturing into how the computers are applicable in information exchange. This lead to the development of some of the foremost social networking sites, which has taken the global arena by storm thus, revolutionizing information technology. The Importance of Experiences and Emotions In the course of the history of computing and the development of diverse computers, one aspect of human behavior has driven the process of creating fresh products. It is agreeable that good product design intends to create pleasant experiences during the life cycle of the product and indeed this informs the behavior of users of the emerging technologies at every point of development (Norman, 2004). In the initial stages of the history of computing, the anticipation of how potential users of technology was apparently unimportant and development of more sophisticated computers was merely driven by the need to solve computational challenges that people were facing. However, in the modern world, corporations and developers of new computers recognize and take into consideration the anticipation of peoples’ reaction (Norman, 2004). It is apparent that favorable reaction to a new computer or gadget enhances its chances of gaining much commercial values and vice versa. Norman recognizes the importance of emotional appreciation and suggests a separation and a comprehension of visceral or aesthetic appreciation. In my opinion, Norman is just within the right tenets of reasoning considering that the present day potential product users are a more complex people. Indeed, the understanding of emotional intelligence of potential users of a product nowadays plays a role in guiding the process of developing a new product (Norman, 2004). Norman argues that visceral appreciation has to do with the appearance of the product and for this reason; I think potential buyers always want something sophisticated than the present ones. The kind of computers and mobile phones developed today shows a consideration of visceral appreciation in that their appearance are increasingly made sleek and potential buyers who normally identify with high end products never hesitates to own them even if the costs might be prohibitive (Norman, 2004). Furthermore, aesthetic appreciation is very critical for new products because people react favorably to items that meet their anticipations. The artistic and visual appearance is at the core of research and development in companies to enable product developers take into consideration peoples’ aesthetic appreciation of their products (Norman, 2004). The product developers eventually through science, research and development manages to created products that people frequently reacts to favorably thus ensuring their success in the market. The Philosopher's Tool Kit II: Chapter 17, "Procrastination" By Regina Arnold The author philosophically attempts to explain how iPods have changed peoples’ way of life globally. The idea that people have uploaded so much music in the iPod is becoming a challenge to society. This is because the users of such technology adopts a new lifestyle or behavior, that of procrastination (Wittkower, 2008). The author argues that sometimes listeners of the iPods are confronted with a choice to make between listening to their music and switching off the gadget to enable them work. It emerges that listening to music from the iPods have an addictive behavior that philosophers describe as learned. Indeed, people juggle and shuttle between certain tasks or places with the white ear buds on. This reduces their ability to concentrate and complete the task at hand (Wittkower, 2008). Therefore, the resulting scenario has always been tasks being postponed to later date or time. However, of even greater concern is whether the iPods have to be on the ears all the time. Does it mean people are defeated to control their use of the gadgets? In my opinion, the iPods are a greater technological development that is occurring for people and thus the need embrace them. They are a potent indicator for change showing the creation and consumption of media materials. The best tool kit I have picked from Regina’s philosophical exploration and explanation of the procrastination caused by use of the iPods is that people need to adopt new ways of avoiding lamentations (Wittkower, 2008). The author puts the ball right inside the iPod users that they must avoid seeing a situation in which the gadget becomes a source of lamentation. This tool kit works better because just like in other life spheres people must make hard choices on how to improve their lives on everyday basis. Therefore, a simple iPod should not make people lament. Understanding Media It is important to recognize that certain media have influenced the environment around people. There is a huge significance for people to understand media because as Evans (2010) puts it "Even when you aren't listening, people are talking about you.” He goes further to suggest that people must therefore participate in such dialogues. This is just an indication that peoples’ thoughts, behaviors, and sometimes actions are informed by the media content they listen to. Therefore, as the content engages with their minds, their thoughts are swayed towards altering a behavior, viewpoints, or values. This is the participatory nature of how listeners engage in media content through listening Evans (2010). The notion that media are financed by taxes or tax like levies cannot be overemphasized because they contribute to the national revenue through taxation. The development of media industry from analogue media to digital media has had huge impacts on people. It is notable that technology presently makes it possible for people to watch certain content online. The viewership of pornography is particularly an area that attracts many people both young and adults Evans (2010). The media outlet for pornographic content excites people and they can be willing to go all lengths to gain an opportunity to view the content. This includes subscriptions to certain digital media and online media where viewership is only permissible for paid up members. The costs for subscriptions are always exorbitant and because people are addicted to pornography, they will still have to pay up Evans (2010). Through this, the digital media companies have raked in huge amounts of money in revenue from the pornographic addicts. I understand the various media around me by being always keen to details. This enables a proper comprehension of the content that media around me contains. Furthermore, I concentrate on monitoring new content thus being able to make a choice on what to view or listen to after understanding the media. List of References Black, E. (2001). IBM and the holocaust: The strategic alliance between Nazi Germany and America's most powerful corporation. New York: Three Rivers Press. Evans, L. (2010). Social Media Marketing: Strategies for Engaging in Facebook, Twitter & Other Social Media. New Jersey, NJ: Pearson Education. Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs. New York: Simon & Schuster. Norman, D. A. (2004). Emotional design: Why we love (or hate) everyday things. New York: Basic Books. Turner, F. (2006). From counterculture to cyberculture: Stewart Brand, the Whole Earth Network, and the rise of digital utopianism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Wittkower, D. E. (2008). iPod and philosophy: ICon of an ePoch. Chicago, Ill: Open Court. Read More