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The Evolution of Computing and its Impact on History

The Evolution of Computing and its Impact on History

Monthly Archives: September 2011

Computers can be hacked and so should life

30 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by Mai Nguyen in Personal History

≈ 4 Comments

I hardly remember which one of today’s most renowned PC makers I bought my first computer from in 2001. It actually was a no-brand-name computer assembled by a computer-geek friend of my parents. Until now, it still seems to me that the most impressive features I got on the computer were that it had a Pentium 3 processor, a 20GB memory hard drive, and a strong video card that later introduced me to the amazing world of technology.

Most of my time on the computer from 2001 to 2003 I spent on scrambling through freeware such as wallpaper switcher/managers, live screensavers, music downloader, and other software that claimed to boost my PC’s performance. I suspect that all the constant installing and then removing software could hurt my computer, so I was rather surprised that my PC survived me for 8 years after much damage.

I had never played many computer games until mid 2004 when a friend of mine introduced me to The Sims 1. Since then it became my favorite game. The Sims is a simulation game that replicates the American daily suburban life in which players can manipulate their characters (called Sims) through various actions such as eating, going to the bathroom, sleeping, dating, etc. I find many American social norms and lifestyles represented in the game, thus as I naturally learned to navigate through my characters’ behaviors, I also learned to adapt the American ways (culturally, aesthetically, architecturally). In addition, the language used in the game further familiarized me with a more sophisticated level of English. That helped me avoid almost all of the cultural shocks when I first came to theU.S.for college.

While traditional education in Asian countries doesn’t emphasize recreation in the learning process, I reckon that playing The Sims had one of the most important influences in determining my personal growth. It allowed me to experience different ways of living and behaving, and it reflected my true nature as I realized that many Sims I created shared the same characteristics or did the same activities (yes, mostly nerdy things). Many rewards or achievements in the game required very tedious and diligent playing, which actually could be attained by genuine tricks, hacks and cheats. Such trivial and common activity (hacking) in working with computers suddenly brought me to a new understanding: certain real life goals could also be reached by knowing the shortcuts and getting creative with the procedures of doing them. It is not unethical to always try to hack a task, or find a shortcut. It is what I call Optimization, which is the core concept in Economics of how to survive in such a world scarce of resources. There is no accident I am an Economics major.

As The Sims evolved, it became more close-to-real-life than previous versions. Of course, the realistic aspects (mundane yet practically time-consuming such as doing laundry, going to get groceries, maintaining friendships/relationships, etc) are carefully selected due to the limitations of visual rendering. Nevertheless, I continuously learn about my life through the game. If I hadn’t played The Sims, I would have had a very hard time shaping my critical thinking skills or taking the concept of optimization to heart. I would not even be here, which is a prestigious position compared to where I came from. On a personal and cultural level, I would have had a tougher time trying to fit in, making friends and understanding life here. After all, isolated as most computer users have always been, I was indeed connected to a larger society through a virtual life game. And I think my time consumed in playing this singular was extremely well worth.

More on The Sims:

A snapshot from The Sims 1 base game

Graphic and activities were not the best, but it was at the frontier of simulation games at the time and thus, caused much addiction and thirst for exploration.

 

The Sims 2: University Life

The graphic has gotten much better and the game story is more developed. This snapshot of a student zombie who pulled an all-nighter was taken from the University Life expansion pack. Each base game has many expansion packs with new additional objects, architecture designs, and functions. Today The Sims has published 3 base games; the latest version is The Sims 3.

 

The Sims 3: picnic scene

The graphic is astoundingly realistic with beautiful building tools for both architecture and landscape. I also learned interior designs and construction in the game.

 


1997 Comqaq Computer, Chips Challenge, and My Computing History

30 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by Jenelle Parson in Personal History

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My first computer was my grandparent’s 1997 Compaq computer. At home, we didn’t have a computer until later in my childhood, so I would enjoy going over to my grandparent’s house and playing on theirs. I used to sit on my grandma’s lap and play on the computer. It had less than a GB of memory on it. My grandparents enjoy telling the story of when they bought it. The salesman told them that there was more memory on the machine than they would ever use in their lifetime. Such an underestimate of the growth of technology! The computer had Windows 1995, and I found it really sad when Windows XP came out, since none of my old games were compatible with it.

My favorite game to play was Chip’s Challenge. I played it through the majority of my childhood, coming back to it periodically. I never beat the game, but I got around half way through it. When my grandparents got another computer my grandma and I used to play Chip’s Challenge at the same time on separate computers.  Another favorite game of mine was The Oregon Trail. The computers at my grade school had it installed on them and I used to get to school early so that I could play it. I would name people after my friends or people who I didn’t like (and then subsequently ford many rivers).

Computing technology had a large role in staying with my major, Nuclear Engineering. During my sophomore year of college, I took a radiation detection class. In this class, we learned about different technology that can detect radiation. A detector basically works using knowledge of principal radiation interactions with matter to measure this radiation, through a pulse of current through a wire. The characteristics of this current pulse are used to tell different information about the incoming radiation.

During the class, we learned about the different electronics in the detector and how the data is interpreted to come up with an output. We had a lab in which we actually worked with detectors. In the lab, we used more complicated detectors, which were hooked up to a NIM-BIN that holds the multi-channel analyzer, signal splitter, amplifier, etc. I found how detectors worked and how radiation was measured fascinating. It encouraged me to stay in Nuclear Engineering and shaped what I want to work on later in life.

Image Locations (in order of their appearance):

  • http://www.hyperbole-software.com/ChipsChallenge/index.html
  • http://web.mac.com/mvallance/MUGS/Mac_Users_Group_Singapore.html
  • http://www.cpce.net/images/nim_bin_1.jpg

 

 

 

Class Summary 9/28: Looms and Engines

28 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by Manali Paralkar in Class Summary

≈ 4 Comments

Today, Wednesday, Professor Wagstaff showed us how to use WordPress. The instructor showed us what the dashboard is and how to submit a new post. It is recommended that we save the draft regularly and preview it. Also, if we want to post a link, we can go to the preview and make sure that it works.

Next, we shared the pictures for our first assignment. It is optional to post the first assignment to the blog. Most peoples’ first memory with a computer was playing games rather than using it as a tool for calculation as it was meant for.

After that, we were shown some of the machines leading up to the computer including the Napier’s Rods and the Slide Rule. Napier’s Rods were first invented in 1617. It was made up of a bunch of rods that were lined up to make the number to multiply. Then the numbers in the parallelograms were added up to find the answer. The Slide Rule, created in 1654, was a combination of logarithms and the Napier’s Rods concepts. Next we learned about the Calculating Clock, invented by Wilhelm Schickard in 1623. It included a bunch of Napier’s Rods which were vertically placed and some other bars horizontally placed. In order to multiply, the top bar had to be twisted and the horizontal bars slid or if you wanted to add, then dials on the bottom of the machine were twisted. The clock was destroyed in a fire and “was lost to history until someone discovered Schickard’s notes.” The Pascaline was next, invented in 1642 and it was thought of as the first computer until Schickard’s notes were discovered later on. Lastly, we learned about the Stepped Reckoner, which was invented around 1673. It was a little more mechanized and worked better than the Pascaline.

When this was done, we started discussing the assigned reading about the Jacquard Loom. The weaving was operated by punch cards which set the pattern. The most important aspect of the Jacquard Loom is that it sped up weaving and it can replicate works. It eliminated the need of a “draw boy.” Modern versions weave airbags and replacement valves for blood vessels in a sterile environment. It is now fully computerized. This is a video of the Jacquard Loom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSjmFD6Q7hw.

Class Summary 9/26: Computing and History We Care About

26 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by Jenelle Parson in Class Summary

≈ 1 Comment

On Monday, we went over the course syllabus and began to talk about computing. In the syllabus, we highlighted the objectives, schedule, assignments, and grading. Specifics readings are listed on the course website and should be completed before the due date, as these are essential to the class discussion. In addition, to readings there are specific assignments. These should be submitted electronically before the class in which they are due as a pdf via email to the instructor, Kiri Wagstaff. If anyone has trouble creating or cannot create a pdf, please let the instructor know. It is also recommended to post them to the class website so that everyone can see your ideas and viewpoint, but this is not required. The first assignment is due October 3rd. If you happen to lose your schedule, it is downloadable on the Syllabus and Schedule page.

After discussing the syllabus, we discussed computers that we encounter on a regular basis. Examples included GPS, video gaming consoles, cell phones, calculators, laptops, desktops, lights, slide rule, abacus, etc. From this stemmed the question of what differentiates a computer and a calculator. An explanation given in class consisted of the following:

  • A computer can store programs. These programs can be brought up later and accessed.
  • A calculator has to be told each time to do a computation. It doesn’t store programs and instead has to be accessed each time.

However, during class it was noted that this is a very simple explanation and it will be covered more in depth later.

A little video was shown in class, which briefly covered the History of Computers: Computer History in 90 Seconds.

photo credit: http://711tech.com/?p=23

Also the abacus and napier’s rod were discussed. The abacus is a calculating tool that consists of two sections of rows of beads. In the top row, the beads represent the number 5, whereas the bottom represents the number 1.  Those that touch the middle bar are counted. If mastered, the abacus can greatly help in calculations. As seen in a video of Chinese school children using the abacus: Amazing Abacus Math Video.

Some background for napier’s rod was talked about during class, such as the logarithmic tables. For which numbers were converted to exponentials. This would make multiplication and division easier, since the exponents would just need to be added or subtracted.

From the Commodore Plus/4 to JPL

25 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by Kiri Wagstaff in Personal History

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My first computer was a Commodore Plus/4 that my mom purchased at an auction. None of us really knew what its capabilities might be, but I was dying to play with a computer after having read so much about them in science fiction stories.

It was the summer before I entered 7th grade, and I happily buried myself in the BASIC manual that came with it, and soon was tinkering around with really simple programs, illuminated by the glow of the green and amber monitor.  Although the “Plus 4” in the computer’s name refers to the built-in programs it came with (word processor, spreadsheet, database, and graphing), I barely remember trying these out.  I wanted to control the computer myself.

Then I discovered games. My sister and I spent hours playing Bruce Lee, and then I’d spend even more hours exploring my way through Infocom’s interactive fiction. I adored the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and spent hours working through it while recovering from having my wisdom teeth extracted.

Computers have played a role in my life ever since. They’ve helped me get into and out trouble, meet new friends, and stay in touch with old ones. I was irresistibly drawn to Computer Science since those early experiences, and my choice of major was never in doubt. Computers led me to grad school and then to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where I learned about computers designed for operation in space (among other things). Without that early influence, how might my career be different? I think I would have chosen some field from science (geology or astronomy) or engineering (mechanical or civic), but it’s hard to say. I like to organize information and understand how things work, and computer science brings the best of those together in one field.

Setting the stage

19 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by Kiri Wagstaff in News

≈ 5 Comments

This course covers the origins and evolution of computing, beginning with early manual computation and going through today (when we even have computers on Mars!). It follows the series of innovations and discoveries that led to the modern computer, the Internet, the Web, and new computing devices such as tablet computers and smart phones. Along the way we will meet several luminaries of the field, including Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, Claude Shannon, Grace Hopper, John von Neumann, and others. We will discuss the role of computers in issues such as privacy, communication, job automation, warfare, artificial intelligence, and more.  

Students registered for the class will be actively posting and discussing relevant topics here. Everyone else is also welcome to join in!

The first class meeting will be Monday, September 26. Stay tuned!

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