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The Social Impact of the Computer

J.A.N. Lee

Virginia Tech

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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 ChangesComputeras a Number Cruncher

Computeras a Utility

Computeras a Communicator

Computeras a generalpurpose system

Computeras a SearchEngine

Computeras 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

• Between the old and the young

• Between parents and children

• 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 clerkToday, she’s a whole department.

Friden Advertisement1965

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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 livesFor 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?• (See http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Luddite)

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Should we have killed the railroad engine?

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Should we NOT continue to develop the computer?

• We cannot go backward

• We have not had a MAJOR breakthrough since 1970 - the integrated circuit

• What is the next big step going to be and where?

• What will be the effect?

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Progress, Development, Evolution

• Whatever we do– We will not stop progress

– We will not stop people using our products in ways that we do appreciate

– And we WILL find new uses and applications that will be advantageous

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Stopping ProgressAn Example

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One last thought• Martin Luther King:

“Our technology is outstripping our spirituality”