The Social impact of the Computer

2000/11/17 1
The Social Impact of the
Computer
J.A.N. Lee
Virginia Tech
2000/11/17 2
A HISTORICAL
APPROACH
•
When did computers begin to have an effect
on people?
•
How have we been affected?
•
What HAVE we done?
•
Have we become too dependent on
computers?
•
What can we do about it?
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When did computers begin
to have an effect on
people?
•
The early machines - one-off, isolated
•
1950: UNIVAC - the first multi-frame machine
•
1955: IBM 650 - the first University machine
•

1960: IBM 1620 - the first College machine
•
The period of the “priest-hood” of programmers
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Early Programming
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When did computers begin
to have an effect on
people?
•
1965-1975: Time sharing
–
1964: The first e-mail
–
“Personal computing”
–
Immediate feedback
–
Programming by trial and error
•
1965 - The introduction of the mini-computer
•
The beginning of the period of computing as a
“public utility” - for the privileged few
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When did computers begin
to have an effect on
people?
•
1970s - The microcomputer for enthusiasts

•
1975 - Computers in the office
•
1980 - The IBM PC
•
1984 - The Macintosh
•
The period of the “HOME” computer
•
And since then …
The INTERNET
For the Millions
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When did computers begin
to have an effect on
people?
•
1940 - first computation over telephone lines
•
1960s - the MODEM and Timesharing
•
1970s - networking
•
1980s - ARPANet, NSFNet, BITNET, …
–
News groups, LISTSERVs,
•
1990s - The INTERNET - WWW
–
The period of ubiquitous computing

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Ringing the Changes
Computer
as a Number
Cruncher
Computer
as a Utility
Computer
as a
Communicator
Computer
as a general
purpose system
Computer
as a Search
Engine
Computer
as a Tool
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How have we been
affected?
•
The early days:
–
“computerists” became addicted
–
but proud and dedicated
–
to the public - the concept of the GIANT
BRAIN

–
to the insiders - the dumb, recalcitrant,
moronic computer
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How have we been
affected?
•
1950s - the emergence of the HACKER
•
1960s - the identification of the user
–
The computer replaces the slide rule
–
The job of the “future”
–
The era of job swapping
•
1970s - the connected user
•
1980s - the personal computer
•
1990s - the on-line millions
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How have we been
affected?
•
Users have moved from being an elite
“professionally responsible” to a
community with widely varying attitudes
•

Very high level applications allow anyone
to develop a program
•
Including the untrained, the untrainable, and
the don’t-wannabe-trained
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The stages of impact
•
Direct replacement of an activity with little
change in productivity
•
Enhancement of activities by improvements
in speed and efficiency
•
Extending activities to those that could not
be done previously
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What HAVE we done?
•
Created a “DIGITAL DIVIDE”
–
The have’s and the have’nots
•
Between schools, between school districts
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Between the old and the young
•
Between parents and children
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Between male and female

•
Between rich and poor
•
Between town and country
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What HAVE we done?
•
Look at almost any job description!
•
Qualifications for a secretary:
(1) Working knowledge of standard office practices, equipment and word-
processing software; ….
Preferences given for experience with spreadsheets and graphics software,
Microsoft Word, Word Equation and Excel; experience editing and
proofreading complex documents.
(2) Preferences given for experience working on a Mac OS, experience with
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Banner, experience maintaining a
database.
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1970 IBM Advertisement
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Yesterday, Marion was a billing clerk
Today, she’s a whole department.
Friden Advertisement
1965
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What HAVE we done?
•
WAREHOUSE SUPERVISOR:
–

Must be computer literate to include word
processing, spreadsheets, web-based research,
and email. Must have a valid vehicle operator's
permit and a good driving record.
We have changed people’s lives
For good or bad?
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Informality vs the Archive
•
The e-mail seemed so innocent. "Betty, hi," he remembers cheerfully
typing to his colleague. "I haven't been successful reaching you by phone,
so I'll try e-mail instead."
•
And so Bill Lampton then an employee of a large hospital dashed off
the rest of his note on some trivial office matter and hit the send button.
•
Betty never got past the greeting.
•
"I have no idea what you mean about my not returning phone calls,"
Lampton recalls Betty firing back. "To have you accuse me of ignoring
your calls is unthinkable and inexcusable. . . . As to the purpose of the e-
mail that you sent me, I prefer not to respond, as I dislike dealing with
anyone who assumes the worst of me."
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Have we become too
dependent on computers?
•
Have we become too dependent on:
Steel?
Cars?

Oil?
Electricity?
Telephones?
Plastic?
Television?
Housing?
Airplanes?
Clothing?
Prosthetics?
Society?
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What have we done to
Society?
•
Collapsed time?
•
Collapsed space?
•
Broken down natural barriers?
•
Intermixed incompatible attitudes?
•
Invaded privacy?
•
Made it vulnerable?
•
Created an information overload?
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What have we done to

Society?
•
Provided a new industry with expanding employment
needs
•
New life for old industries
•
Improved communications
•
Created tools that would otherwise be impossible
•
Saved time
•
Changed the “Atomic Age” into the “Information
Age”
For
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What are the dangers?
•
Using computers where simpler solutions
exist
•
Using software in critical situations
–
Safety critical applications
–
Mission critical systems
BUT AREN’T THESE OFFSET BY
ADVANTAGES?
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What are the advantages?
•
Using software in critical situations
–
Safety critical applications
–
Mission critical systems
•
More easily upgradeable, replaceable
•
Millions of new uses, new capabilities
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What can we do about it?
•
Should we become Luddites?
•
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