From the time of the Z1 computer conception in 1936 (see picture) to the daily use of the internet in 2007, seventy one years have passed with an extreme development of information technology. Today, web 2.0 is conquering the internet with websites such as wikipedia, youtube and others flickr, which provide a network of shared information accessible by everybody. Also constantly updated softwares are used for applications as diverse as car assembly, plane flying or even writing a letter. These information systems have considerably modified our lifestyles and it would be difficult now to live in this modern world without a basic knowledge of their use. Who has not noticed the evolution of the employment in the UK or other western countries where demand for IT specialists is increasing considerably (IT sales executives, IT startegy consultants, IT support specialists, IT project engineers,... have a look on a job search website, type 'IT' for keyword and there they are!!!). On the other hand traditional heavy industries are disapperaing from our landscapes, being de-localised to countries offering cheaper labour. Chimneys and red brick buidings have been replaced by nice glass bubble's IT desks.
The counter effect of the today situation is the concern for people over 30 years old like me who have difficulties to catch up with this revolution. Former IT geek in the beginning of the 80's, programming in basic, pascal, I was on top of the game, knowing everything about the sinclair ZX 81 with its 1K ram to the revolution of the apple IIc and macintosh while enjoying top games on a commodre 64 (any nostalgic also remembering them?). It has been a mere 20 years gap from this period to nowadays for me to fall from specialist to this status of total ignorant.
Manchester BS MIS course has shaken me up and I realised how disconnected I am now. What if I don't want to or cannot re-plug myself, what for the other people like me? We are already talking about web 3.0 (see John Markoff article on the New York Times) while I am just discovering web 2.0, can't they leave me breath a little bit, trying to technologically re-surface? Why no regular updated on-line instructions are available on the internet to follow-up? Please give a chance for the return of the geek before the web 3.0 strikes back!
I thought we created the machine adapted to human need but now what I want is to be adapted to the machine!
Where all is this going, what is the purpose of this technology evolution if people cannot follow, maybe it is time for alternative technology to appear.
2 comments:
I'm the same lolo!
Even five years back I was writing stuff in HTML, earning money from Ciao! for writing travel ops, etc. And now, for the sake of having used my internet for company work, I find things have evolved beyond all recognition.
I turn my back on my fellow frogspawn for three seconds, and when I turn round find a field full of sumatran tigers!
What strikes me in particular is how the nature of the "geek" is changing from a loner to a highly socialised creature.
Nice one.
Great stuff lolo & hmatt...this is all about new pervasiveness of the web and the social nature of human beings.
What once the domain of the IT Termites is now the domain of all of us. We shape it and it shapes us.
But the vitality that lies behind web 2.0 in the form of communication, social networking and people just plain talking to each other often goes unrecognised.
As for the pace, well now we have the 'wisdom of the crowd' developing the future of the web, it's only going to accelerate.
PC.
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