Blog Entry #1

As our society is extremely dependant on technology, it was interesting to read Swedin and Ferro's book "Computers: The Life Story of Technology." This book gave me a better understanding of how the technology of computers has advanced and impacted society more and more over the years. Although it seems the book is outdated, but since this book was written in 1992 it helps give you a better understanding of how technology has gradually developed prior to 1992 and how greatly it has expanded and impacted our society up until today.

One idea the author portrays that I found very appealing was the idea that technology not only has advantages on society but also disadvantages. Living in the fast-paced world we do today, it is easy to see how technology is very popular and used by many throughout their everyday lives. This use of technology and computers helps them to have a very strong positive opinion about the impact technology has on the culture of our society.

Throughout the first chapter, the author explains three types of cultures that have been apparent over the years and how the technology of computers has affected them. In the first category, the 'tool-using culture,'  technology is seen throughout society but is not used to a point that it would be missed if it weren't there. The second culture the author explains is called the 'technocracies.' This culutre uses technology noticeably enough in the everyday world that it starts to seem that it is holding more attention than the other ways of society. The final culture in which the author describes is considered 'technopolies,' where technology is very apparent in the everyday society and has a very strong domination and impact on the everyday life of people within the community.

Throughout the first half of the book, "Computers: The Life Story of Technology" you gain an understanding for the development of technology through computers and the impact it has had on society as a whole. The part of the book that I explained greatly helped me to understand how much technology really has innovated over the years and how different my life would be without it. Based on the three cultures the author explained, it seems that our current society is stuck in the phase of 'technopolies,' where technology has become such a large part of our everyday life, it is almost as if our world would shut down without it. A term the author uses, "technophiles," and describes as someone who only sees the good in technology seems very compatable with our current state of technology. Being a college student in this century, I realize how many people rely on the technology of our computer systems and how they would not be able to succeed without it, in the same way they do with the advantage. The capabilites of technology today, prove how modern our society has become over the years. While our society strives to be more efficient everyday, it would not be possible without the innovations and development of technology over the years. The first hald of Swedin and Ferro's book does a great job describing the history and development of the technology of computers and has greatly contributed to my understanding of this technology and the enormous impact it has on our society in the current day.