Blown To Bits Response Questions
Identify why people continue to improve the ways that technology and information are spread throughout the world. even though we are able to sustain ourselves as we are now?
People continue to improve our methods of spreading technology and information across the globe because we can. Not only can we, but to be able to do it faster, more efficiently, and generally better would be beneficial to everyone because it would make spreading the information easier. People like things when they are easy usually.
Determine the differences between information that is taken and reproduced by hand as opposed to information that is digitally reproduced and transferred to others.
Information reproduced by hand contains flaws because "To err is human" (6) and if humans are copying things, generally there will be an error somewhere. Digitally reproduced things, however are no where near as likely to contain errors. Bits are not flawed, and even if a bit or two gets corrupted, networks check to see if any bits were corrupted in transition and if they were the network will automatically repair them.
Debate why the spread of information was a positive impact for people or a negative impact.
In reality, it was, and is both. It was a positive in the fact that if a scientist in America makes an important discovery, it can be implemented in research in Europe as soon as the American scientist uploads his findings to the internet. The European scientists do not have to wait for written documents or the scientist himself to arrive in Europe. It is bad because data that could be protected by copyright could easily be plagiarized or pirated becuase every bit that made up the original song is the exact same as the bits that make up the copy.
In reality, it was, and is both. It was a positive in the fact that if a scientist in America makes an important discovery, it can be implemented in research in Europe as soon as the American scientist uploads his findings to the internet. The European scientists do not have to wait for written documents or the scientist himself to arrive in Europe. It is bad because data that could be protected by copyright could easily be plagiarized or pirated becuase every bit that made up the original song is the exact same as the bits that make up the copy.
Draw a graph of the way that the size of memory has changed over time.
3. The statement "Computing will transform society" is valid, however the statement "Computing will, and has already begun to transform society" is more accurate. No longer do people need to have roomfuls of paper, and written records. Now people can have countless documents all stored on one computer that can be as small as a phone. "Bits behave strangely. They travel almost instantly, and they take up almost no space to store" (4). Not only can documents stored in the form of the incredibly small bit be put practically anywhere, but the can be sent from one person to another, no matter the distance with ease. this means people from halfway across the world can talk to each other in a matter of seconds. People do not have to leave their house to send a message or pictures to someone. Alongside this, information is easily reproducible. "Every copy is perfect. If you email a photograph to a friend, the friend won't receive a fuzzier version than the original. The copy will be identical" (6). With the ability to transfer perfect copies indefinitely, information can be reproduced en masse, without errors, and put all over the web. This can create problems depending on the information. If it is a person's personal information, it can ruin their privacy like it has so many people already, and so many more are to come. Also it can possibly make people dumber by creating a lack of interest in learning when anything can be looked up instantly on, for example, a smartphone. Lastly, songs,books and even movies can be pirated because of how easy it is to duplicate and transfer bits. It can also can be a good thing however. The wealth of correct information online can be used as a resource for a student researching a certain field, a consumer trying to make a purchase, or a scientist trying to verify his or her results, all without leaving the room. Overall Computing has changes society in many ways, but there are many more ways that have yet to be seen. whether they will do more good than bad, or the opposite, is yet to be seen since we are still in the middle of a technological revolution.
3. The statement "Computing will transform society" is valid, however the statement "Computing will, and has already begun to transform society" is more accurate. No longer do people need to have roomfuls of paper, and written records. Now people can have countless documents all stored on one computer that can be as small as a phone. "Bits behave strangely. They travel almost instantly, and they take up almost no space to store" (4). Not only can documents stored in the form of the incredibly small bit be put practically anywhere, but the can be sent from one person to another, no matter the distance with ease. this means people from halfway across the world can talk to each other in a matter of seconds. People do not have to leave their house to send a message or pictures to someone. Alongside this, information is easily reproducible. "Every copy is perfect. If you email a photograph to a friend, the friend won't receive a fuzzier version than the original. The copy will be identical" (6). With the ability to transfer perfect copies indefinitely, information can be reproduced en masse, without errors, and put all over the web. This can create problems depending on the information. If it is a person's personal information, it can ruin their privacy like it has so many people already, and so many more are to come. Also it can possibly make people dumber by creating a lack of interest in learning when anything can be looked up instantly on, for example, a smartphone. Lastly, songs,books and even movies can be pirated because of how easy it is to duplicate and transfer bits. It can also can be a good thing however. The wealth of correct information online can be used as a resource for a student researching a certain field, a consumer trying to make a purchase, or a scientist trying to verify his or her results, all without leaving the room. Overall Computing has changes society in many ways, but there are many more ways that have yet to be seen. whether they will do more good than bad, or the opposite, is yet to be seen since we are still in the middle of a technological revolution.
