EOTO Technology

Each One Teach One 

Technology is built on the basis of logic and prediction, yet there are still so many unanswered questions within it. When will it stop? When innovators run out of ideas or when the human mind can no longer push any further past a fixed point of conception. A beautiful creation stemming from a branch of knowledge made to make human lives easier, safer, and more entertaining. These five technologies encompass how far technology has progressed from its earliest from carved as petroglyphs into huge stones evolving all the way to cloud computing existing in a theoretical space.  

Petroglyphs

Carvings into rock and stone dated back twenty-to-forty thousand years back, known as petroglyphs, are the earliest evidence of communication in history. Native Americans could depict a variety of scenes or creatures seen. Each carving was unique to the individual who created it; each incorporating cultural and religious symbols and markers to trace out boundaries or territory. You might have found the flaw in this communication method, but if not, let me explain. For starters, rocks break and inevitably will decay. Imagine if you spent hours carving a scene of a vicious animal that was local to the area or an area of territory that was off-limits by a rival tribe and could be of use in the future, just for it to be destroyed. People can forget where they carved something rendering it useless. Also, since each carving is created by one person, it can only be interpreted by that person. There was no index referring the carver to the symbol for deer, tree, or danger so when others would stumble across these depictions, you could imagine just how confused they were. A more provocative take on petroglyphs, people could've used the opportunity to carve whatever they wanted, wherever they wanted to carve phallic images all across the country. I mean just imagine coming across something so grotesque and actually carved into stone that you had to break the rock. Imagine the energy and effort that would take. If it were up to me, I'd just leave it out of pure laziness; perhaps, if I was a member of the past when people used petroglyphs, I wouldn't even know what I was looking at. Oh, the mystery. Sometimes it's hard to understand what's right in front of you. 

Motion Picture History

In 1888, Edison and Dickson created the motion picture camera. The phonographer's creation led to the kinetoscope which operated as a projector and was sold for $300. The brilliant inventor wasn't that brilliant. In fact, he didn't get a patent on his creation; making it easy for the competition to copy the design and sell it for less. Edison came in and put the patent on the device, making it 'his' work now. This communication device allowed people to experience abstract emotions from horror to romance to sadness. Soon people became captivated by this communication device and lost themselves indoors. Even in 1888 binge-watching existed as people chose to view experiences through the motion picture than go outside and interact with others-experiencing life themselves. Although, having to stand over and peer into the tiny lens of the kinetoscope, enduring the back and neck pain that came with it, could deter me from this device. This makes me wonder where was it in history when mankind became so lazy. Was this the defining moment-the creation of the concept of motion picture or was it the potato chip rendering humans as the defining title, couch potato? I guess we'll never know. 

Instant Messaging 

Instant messaging, originally used in 1970 strictly for government use, became the first online instant communication device. Created by Turnioff, IM was opened for public use in 1990. This changed communication in the workplace by sending out instant messages to the entire office or a single co-worker. It was informal, unlike e-mail, and operated as a free service. IM included features other than just instant messages like custom chat rooms, insertion of web links to share with friends, upload images, add sounds and attach files; it even had a talk feature that negated the use of the telephone to those who sought instant verbal communication. The negative side effects: vulnerable to hacking, cyberbullying, and being a distraction in the workplace.

Facebook

Zuckerberg

Created with the intention to connect Harvard students, four students (if you try to download a picture with all the co-founders together, it's blocked from downloading), most notable Zuckerberg, created the social media platform your mom and grandma love so dearly, Facebook. In 2004, the largest social media network in the world was born, gaining over a thousand users on its first day. Within the year, a million people had joined and today there are over three billion daily users. Once an account is created, members are able to create their profile, upload and share content, follow anyone they like and comment, like, dislike, and react to their posts. The almost too good or dangerously effective communication device on its best days is a medium allowing users to stay connected with those they do not see every day. It negates geographic restrictions by allowing members to share images, make their followers feel like they're with them by getting to experience those shareable moments. On its worst days (every day really), the site is a breeding ground for radical minds, a playing ground for opposing political parties, and an open door to your privacy. It's a friend to stalkers, third-party data mining companies, and cyberbullies. 

Cloud Computing 

Invented by JCR Licklider as an idea for storing data outside of personal devices, cloud computing reinvented the way we perceive data. Now, it's not stored in an actual cloud-don't be foolish. It's stored across the theoretical cloud, the internet. Data is limitlessly stored at huge data centers, which are huge warehouses filled with computers storing upwards of 1000 G's of information. Who uses it? Google, Amazon, Microsoft, universities, Apple, Facebook, and more to promote innovation within the community. It was John McCarthy's idea for computing that allowed it to be sold as a utility in 1960. Since then, your average user has the ability to process and allocate different percentages of data to individual sites, apps, and devices. 

So What? 

These five technologies are just the tip of the technological iceberg left to unpack. However, I believe they do a good job at encompassing a brief history of the key points in the world of communication. I enjoyed learning from my peers about communication devices I had not heard of (petroglyphs) to some that I maybe just didn't understand (cloud computing); nevertheless, this experience has been insightful and I can walk away with the knowledge that will benefit me in the future as a communications major. It really is true what they say, you learn something new every day.