IASC 1P50 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Space Shuttle, Hertz, Smartphone
3 Dec 2014
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Document Summary
1956: first hard-drive disk weighed a ton and stored five megabytes. 1991: space shuttle had a one-megahertz computer. Ten years later, some automobiles had 100-megahertz computers. Used for conversations and messaging, but also for: Cameras in cell phones affect privacy in public and non-public places. Cell phones can interfere with solitude, quiet and concentration. Talking on cell phones while driving is dangerous. Other unanticipated negative applications: teenagers sexting, terrorists detonating bombs, rioters organizing looting parties. Allow a remote entity to disable applications and delete files. Are in operating systems for smartphones, tablets and some computers. Used mainly for security, but raise concerns about user autonomy. Old problems in new context: crime, pornography, violent fiction. Adapting to new technology: thinking in a new way. Varied sources of solutions to problems: natural part of change and life. Global reach of net: ease of communications with distant countries. Trade-offs and controversy: increasing security means reducing convenience. Perfection is a direction, not an option.
