New Era Of Education
Personal Computers can help to promote the development of education by their vast storage space and fast processing ability. For the benefit of the society, the U.S. government passed “the National High-Performance Computing Technology Act” on December 9, 1991. This act introduced high-efficacy computers to academia and by building the National Information Infrastructure which can help establish databases and make some breakthroughs in scientific research. The introduction of computers has greatly improved the efficiency of scientific researchers: before using personal computers on a large scale, an efficient laboratory can identify about 1,000 alleles a day. But after the introduction of personal computers, it can identify over 1000 alleles in a second, even on weekends. The introduction of personal computers helped academia complete the problem that was overcome at the time: Human Genome Project. This project needs to identify all 6 billion DNA sequences in human bodies. The introduction of computers also started a revolution in the education area. Nowadays, personal computers already became an essential part of the education system.
The Computer Classroom in Mexico
Image from ImageQuest
Image from ImageQuest
An Iranian Boy is working on the computer through the internet with his study group
Image from ImageQuest
Image from ImageQuest
Microsoft Office: Key of Efficiency
Bill Gates announce that "Word", a software for text and document editing would be first available on Machintosh.
This feature significantly enhance the productivity of costumer
Microsoft Word Chief Architect Simonyi Born
Image from CHM
Image from CHM
Cyber Crime: Terrorism on the Internet
While the personal computers broke the barrier of efficiency, it also broke the barrier of privacy and security: facilitating the spread of fraud and child pornography. Especially in the 1990s, cybercrime happens frequently and caused numerous damages to the community.
Short impact:
The internet caused the spread of fraud and child pornography, caused numerous damage, and spread rumor.
Long term impact:
The laws for those cyber-crimes was published during 1990s and we are still using some of them or amending new laws based on them. The perfection of the law makes sure the safety of digital data, which increased the privacy and arouse the awareness of copyrights. In 1996, The National Information Infrastructure Protection Act expanded the definition of punishable computer hacking. In 1997, The No-Electronic Theft Act increases restrictions on the reproduction and distribution of copyrighted intellectual property such as software, music, and movies. In 1998, The Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act made it a crime to use the world wide web to sell material harmful to minors.
Short impact:
The internet caused the spread of fraud and child pornography, caused numerous damage, and spread rumor.
Long term impact:
The laws for those cyber-crimes was published during 1990s and we are still using some of them or amending new laws based on them. The perfection of the law makes sure the safety of digital data, which increased the privacy and arouse the awareness of copyrights. In 1996, The National Information Infrastructure Protection Act expanded the definition of punishable computer hacking. In 1997, The No-Electronic Theft Act increases restrictions on the reproduction and distribution of copyrighted intellectual property such as software, music, and movies. In 1998, The Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act made it a crime to use the world wide web to sell material harmful to minors.
In 1971, the Creeper Virus, the first real computer virus, was inspired by Mathematician John von Neumann, who first theorized the concept of a computer virus.
image from Creeper
image from Creeper
The fear of Computer
Since the PC came to people's lives, it have been a popular topic on the fear of Computer: will AI (Artificial Intelligence) take over the human world? Then it comes to the problem of security: all the user's data were online, and user have potentially no control of the shared data. The debate has never ended.
1968, the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey released, telling the story of a computer killed everyone
image from CHM
image from CHM
Social Media: The New Culture
Personal computer and the internet created internet culture.
For example, social media. The development of social media began at 1978 with the development
of BBS.
In 1995, classmates.com allow students to connect each other.
image from Classmate
image from Classmate
The expansion of the internet started at the 1990s which was benefited from the develop
of websites that allowed user to connect each other. The internet not only
helped to spread culture, but also created a culture. The social media became an inseparable part
of our daily life. With instant and unify communication, social media broke the barrier of region and time.
Nowadays, the top four popular apps are all social media platform: Facebook, Messenger, Whatsapp, and Instagram. It really became the largest industry on internet since then.
Nowadays, the top four popular apps are all social media platform: Facebook, Messenger, Whatsapp, and Instagram. It really became the largest industry on internet since then.
In 1997, SixDegrees.com, the first true social media, let user share their daily life and communicate with friends.
image from SixDegrees
image from SixDegrees