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Right now, in this day and age, the internet encompasses many aspects our lives, crossing many categories that are not even related in the slightest. Research work? Not a problem. Want to buy groceries? Order online. Music? We have download sites everywhere. Planning your overseas honeymoon in a luxurious ? Open a browser and find a deal. Moving to another country? Look up requirements in Google, and forums on that country while you’re at it. Need to know the weather? Check out weather sites to zap that info directly on your desktop.
In this world of such convenience, sometimes we have to look back to see what started it all. So here are, for me, the most important moments of the internet, ones that changed the lives of people everywhere.
1. Invention of the Telegraph and Telephone. Samuel Morse invented the telegraph that was quickly adopted by America for practical use. Alexander Graham Bell officially invented the telephone as we know it today, successfully testing it in March 10, 1876. Why is this a defining moment? These two devices were the first ones ever to send information over a distance quickly. The phone lines and cables that resulted still form an important backbone to the internet today. Phones also convert an electronic signal to an analog one, the basis of modems.
2. Launch of Sputnik 1. This USSR craft launched on October 4, 1957, the first artificial satellite. It was the dawn of global telecommunications. Satellites today transmit all kinds of data all over the world, including the internet!
3. Creation of ARPANET. Known as the predecessor of the internet, ARPANET was developed for the military to exchange information. It sent data in packets, much like what the current internet does! Four nodes in different universities formed this primitive network. If ARPANET had not worked, the internet could have been set back another decade.
4. E-mail is invented. 1971 marked an important year for the internet, with the creation of e-mail, sending letters across the internet. It is still a mainstay in internet communications, and will probably be used throughout a person’s internet life.
5. International networks. 1973 saw the first international internet connection. At around this time, Ethernet, gateway protocols, and FTP are invented. It became apparent that you can connect computers on a global scale! 1976 further cemented this, as networking spread to more and more computers.
6. Internet boom. At around 1983-1984, a large number of nodes were created because of name servers and DNS, using names instead of numbers which made it easier to remember and communicate with. Another reason for the boom was the spread of desktop computers, enabling more people to connect.
7. World Wide Web. Tim Berners-Lee released the WWW as we know it, which provided easy information to anywhere in the world with much simpler methods. Browsers came out. Multimedia is released a year later.
The internet took almost a century to finally morph into what we know today. It’s amazing how progress works, indeed.
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Ah, yes, mother’s day. The day where we show our (more than usual) love to the lovely lady who raised us. This raises a question, though. How do we? The good old fashioned present with a greeting, of course! But what do we get her? Skip the handbags and flowers, technology is the new thing! What’s best to get?
1. A digital camera. Remember the mom that always takes pictures of your birthday parties? Chances are, she still loves to do that! Why not give her a new digital camera? That way, she can take as many shots as she wants! If she already has one, maybe it’s time for an upgrade.
2. A booklight. I don’t know about you, but my mom loves to read romance novels and cheap pocketbooks. Play on her love for reading and get this! It’s cheap, too. Just don’t tell her that.
3. A satellite phone! Some moms always want to know where you are. Swallow your fear and give her something that can call you anytime, anywhere! Just remember, she nags you because she loves you!
There are my recommendations. What did you give your mom this Mothers Day? Wait, you’re asking me? Well, that’s a secret.
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There are many conveniences that we take for granted these days. In fact, it’s hard to imagine life without many things that were cutting edge long ago! Computers, vehicles, gas and electric ranges, sewing machines and ballpoint pens are just some of the innovations that influence daily life.
They say the simplest inventions are the cleverest. I agree. There is a
about a three-year old kid who invented a double-ended broom, one for a coarse brush and one for a fine brush. It’s amazing that he’s the first to patent that. Throughout history, such simple inventions changed the lives of people everywhere. What are these all-important devices?
1. The Wheel – one of the early inventions that changed the way humans lived. We see it everywhere; on cars, trucks, planes, ships, inside machines, toys, and much much more. Life wouldn’t be the same without the wheel. It was said to be invented by the Mesopotamians in 4th century BC, eventually helping usher about the Bronze Age. Starting from wooden carts and wagons, the simple yet so very useful device evolved over time. With so many uses and applications, it is forever part of the human race, and one of the first steps to civilization. Can you imagine being unable to take a taxi to your , instead footing several miles with tons of bags? Or spending an hour walking to get to the mall?
2. Tools – Yet another thing that set us on the path of civilization. Humans have opposable thumbs, which led to the creation of tools. Simple tools like sharp rocks used to cut turned into knives and spears. Large rock used as a hammer became actual hammers. We built our own houses, caught animals, made our own fields and improved our way of life with tools. Interestingly, some mammals and birds use tools too.
3. Sewers – Sanitation is important to civilized people. A system where waste is gathered and disposed of in once place rather than everywhere is indeed helpful. Ancient people saw this, and were among the first to invent the system. Today, we rarely think of the network of pipes running under our feet, making sure that our waste stays out of our sight, and out of our noses! I’m happy knowing that we’re not defecating on the ground. Well, most of the time.
4. Roads – Along with the first wheeled inventions, roads came about. Dirt paths worn by hunters were common before vehicles, but it was only after the wheeled inventions were invented that there became a real need for better roads. Dirt-worn paths became wood, stone and brick roads. Because of the ease of transport roads offered, the world became prosperous. Today, they are the backbone of economy and society. Imagine life without roads now. We would be living in houses in a haphazard manner. Goods are transported slower. There would be more accidents.
There you have it! These are, for me, the ones that truly shaped the world. Well, I guess money did, too. What inventions do you think changed the world?
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Science never ceases to amaze. According to news.com, Xerox is experimenting with a new type of paper and printer. Documents produced using these fade away after 16 to 24 hours, making the paper re-usable again.
There is no actual ink used in the printer. The special paper is hit with UV rays, causing parts of it to change color; that is, the parts you want printed. You don’t have to wait for it to fade, running the paper through the printer wipes the colored parts away.
This is great news for a lot of people I know. A manager friend of mine prints a lot of documents that finds its way in a trash can before the day ends. It will save him and his employer lots of money on paper! No more spending money on ink, either. Of course, not all documents should be wiped, but this will be really useful when you only need it for a day.
I can think of quite a few uses for it in my house, myself. A shopping list is one. Just print before you set off. It’s probably not worth the cost though, since it has limited home applications. What do you think it should be used for?
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