COM546 Communication & Society Week 2 - 9 October 2007 Kathy E. Gill

Questions for Reading Discussion What are the pluses & minuses to a consumer who is considering VoIP? What are the tools of suppression? What firms/institutions are threatened? What other factors are driving this technological change other than social necessity? If you were the head of AT&T …

What are the pluses & minuses to a consumer who is considering VoIP?

What are the tools of suppression? What firms/institutions are threatened?

What other factors are driving this technological change other than social necessity?

If you were the head of AT&T …

Tonight’s MultiMedia From “It Happened One Night”, 1934

From “It Happened One Night”, 1934

Overview History of Computing Technology Communications Theories

History of Computing Technology

Communications Theories

Quotable 1 "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -- Western Union internal memo, 1876

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -- Western Union internal memo, 1876

Quotable 2 Who the hell wants to hear actors talk? -- H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

Who the hell wants to hear actors talk? -- H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

Quotable 3 "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

Quotable 4 "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, 1949

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, 1949

Quotable 5 "640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981 *

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981 *

What is “technology”? tech-nol-o-gy [Gk] 1: technical language; 2a: applied science b: a technical method of achieving a practical purpose 3: a totality of the means employed to provide objects necessary for human sustenance and comfort

tech-nol-o-gy [Gk] 1: technical language; 2a: applied science b: a technical method of achieving a practical purpose 3: a totality of the means employed to provide objects necessary for human sustenance and comfort

Technology Knowledge used to solve problems and extend human potential. Technology is about enabling change and amplifying its direction. Technology does not set the sail.

Knowledge used to solve problems and extend human potential.

Technology is about enabling change and amplifying its direction. Technology does not set the sail.

Technology and Media Caves in France Paper and charcoal/ink Printing Press Telegraph et al (radio, television) Computer mediated communications

Caves in France

Paper and charcoal/ink

Printing Press

Telegraph et al (radio, television)

Computer mediated communications

Ancient History 8500 BC : Bone carved with prime numbers discovered 1000 – 500 BC : Abacus invented 1500 : da Vinci’s mechanical calculator 1642 : Blaise Pascal, 1st adding device 1714 : 1 st English typewriter patent 1801 : Joseph Jacquard, weaving looms 1822 : Charles Babbage, Father of the Modern Computer and Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace

8500 BC : Bone carved with prime numbers discovered

1000 – 500 BC : Abacus invented

1500 : da Vinci’s mechanical calculator

1642 : Blaise Pascal, 1st adding device

1714 : 1 st English typewriter patent

1801 : Joseph Jacquard, weaving looms

1822 : Charles Babbage, Father of the Modern Computer and Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace

Ada Byron 1843 : she predicted that Babbage’s “analytical engine” might be used to compose music and produce graphics and would be used for both practical and scientific use She described how Babbage’s engine might calculate Bernoulli numbers. Her plan is regarded as the first “computer program.” Ada, the first ISO-standardized OO programming language; developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1979.

1843 : she predicted that Babbage’s “analytical engine” might be used to compose music and produce graphics and would be used for both practical and scientific use

She described how Babbage’s engine might calculate Bernoulli numbers. Her plan is regarded as the first “computer program.”

Ada, the first ISO-standardized OO programming language; developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1979.

Modern History (1/2) 1937 : Alan Turing, Turing Machine Theoretical model of a computer 1938 : Claude Shannon’s Master’s Thesis “ possibly the most important of the 20 th century” Showed how Boole’s concepts of True and False could be used to represent functions of switches (binary)

1937 : Alan Turing, Turing Machine

Theoretical model of a computer

1938 : Claude Shannon’s Master’s Thesis

“ possibly the most important of the 20 th century”

Showed how Boole’s concepts of True and False could be used to represent functions of switches (binary)

Modern History (2/2) 1943 : Alan Turing & COLOSSUS WWII machine designed to break German code 1800 vacuum tubes Earliest working programmable electronic digital computer 1943-1946 : ENIAC 1st fully Electronic Computer 18,000 vacuum tubes; 10’ tall, 1000 sq ft of floor space, weighed ~30 tons 1945 : first computer “bug” (literally!)

1943 : Alan Turing & COLOSSUS

WWII machine designed to break German code

1800 vacuum tubes

Earliest working programmable electronic digital computer

1943-1946 : ENIAC

1st fully Electronic Computer

18,000 vacuum tubes; 10’ tall, 1000 sq ft of floor space, weighed ~30 tons

1945 : first computer “bug” (literally!)

Recent History (1/2) 1964 : BASIC Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code 1975 : Bill Gates & Paul Allen, Microsoft 1976 : Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniack, Apple 1977 : Commodore “PET” computer 1979 : 1 st “killer app” 1st Electronic Spreadsheet - VisiCalc

1964 : BASIC

Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code

1975 : Bill Gates & Paul Allen, Microsoft

1976 : Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniack, Apple

1977 : Commodore “PET” computer

1979 : 1 st “killer app”

1st Electronic Spreadsheet - VisiCalc

Recent History (2/2) 1980 : PC DOS 1981 : IBM - PC 1983 : Apple Macintosh Computer (GUI) 1984 : Laser Printers for PCs 1984 : CD-ROMS 1990s : WWW & Multimedia

1980 : PC DOS

1981 : IBM - PC

1983 : Apple Macintosh Computer (GUI)

1984 : Laser Printers for PCs

1984 : CD-ROMS

1990s : WWW & Multimedia

Communication Theory What is communication? The imparting, conveying or exchanging of ideas, knowledge, etc The transfer of thoughts and messages by sign and sounds What do we mean by “mediated” communication?

What is communication?

The imparting, conveying or exchanging of ideas, knowledge, etc

The transfer of thoughts and messages by sign and sounds

What do we mean by “mediated” communication?

Roots From the Latin communicare, meaning to impart, share, or make common Entered the English language in the 14th and 15th centuries Key root is mun- and is related to such words as "munificent," "community," and "meaning”

From the Latin communicare, meaning to impart, share, or make common

Entered the English language in the 14th and 15th centuries

Key root is mun- and is related to such words as "munificent," "community," and "meaning”

Why do we communicate? What purpose did the telegraph serve (initially)? Separated communication from transportation Influenced journalism (objectivity) and language (“telegraph style”) Changed the meaning of space (made the world smaller) Changed the meaning of time (time zones)

What purpose did the telegraph serve (initially)?

Separated communication from transportation

Influenced journalism (objectivity) and language (“telegraph style”)

Changed the meaning of space (made the world smaller)

Changed the meaning of time (time zones)

Why postulate theories? (1/2) Purpose: Values: Why: Provide rules for interpretation Determine universal laws “ Emancipation” Objectivity Create meaning Discover the “truth” Humanistic Scientific

Why postulate theories? (2/2) Judged by: Research Methods: Explains people Clarifies values Consensus Reforms society Explains data Predicts future Testable hypothesis Practical Qualitative: ethnography, textual analysis Quantitative: experiment, survey Humanistic Scientific

Explains people

Clarifies values

Consensus

Reforms society

Explains data

Predicts future

Testable hypothesis

Practical

Communication theories Linear or Transmission (Shannon-Weaver, 1948; Lasswell, 1960) Circular (Osgood and Schramm, 1954) Medium Theory (McLuhan et al)

Linear or Transmission (Shannon-Weaver, 1948; Lasswell, 1960)

Circular (Osgood and Schramm, 1954)

Medium Theory (McLuhan et al)

Shannon-Weaver (1/3) Information theory is “exceedingly general in scope, fundamental in the problems it treats, and of classic simplicity and power in the results it reaches” (Shannon & Weaver, 1949) Theory of signal transmission

Information theory is “exceedingly general in scope, fundamental in the problems it treats, and of classic simplicity and power in the results it reaches” (Shannon & Weaver, 1949)

Theory of signal transmission

Shannon-Weaver (2/3)

Shannon-Weaver (3/3) Redundancy is used to offset noise in a channel Noise increases uncertainty What is noise in interactive media?

Redundancy is used to offset noise in a channel

Noise increases uncertainty

What is noise in interactive media?

Lasswell Formula Who (sender) Says What (message) In What Channel (medium or channel) To Whom (receiver) With What Effect (impact)

Who (sender)

Says What (message)

In What Channel (medium or channel)

To Whom (receiver)

With What Effect (impact)

Osgood and Schramm (1/2) Communication as interpersonal influence Importance of “meaning” One person can be sender and receiver (feedback) Stresses social nature of communication

Communication as interpersonal influence

Importance of “meaning”

One person can be sender and receiver (feedback)

Stresses social nature of communication

Osgood and Schramm (2/2)