A quiet revolution has taken place in the field of doing "research" and " information"
It began in the late 90s and has changed the way we get information. The so called "revolution" has changed information gathering, communication, and the way many people live. Libraries have changed in many ways as a result of this incredible change. Nevertheless, this is a totally quiet revolution. (or is it?)
I thought about this change a few moments ago as I typed another post at Democratic Underground. How does one change the way we get information in a quiet non-violent way. Is it even a "revolution"?
How does something like this happen? And what is it?
Five simple words: copy and paste then click That is all it is. You want to know something. Let's say that you see a name you have never heard of. So you take the mouse, (or its equivalent, maybe your finger if it is a hand held computer) and move it over the name. I just did it with a name, David Pecker. I thought that could be a made up name and wasn't real. The computer highlighted the name, I copied it, put the name in a box at the top of the screen, called "Google Search." Then I clicked on that little icon next to the box, and the computer searched the internet for links to that name.."David Pecker" I was thinking in my head, this is a joke, a pecker with a name like David Pecker.
..But the name is real. Instantly, yes instantly the computer/internet search found out that this name is a person who is CEO of the "National Inquirer." I guess this pecker is a real "Pecker."
Here is how this is a quiet revolution. I didn't have to go to a library to search for a name and then go to something called "Readers Guide" to find a magazine with something about David Pecker in it. Or a research compilation of names of famous people. In that book, I would look under the letter P for Pecker and then see if there is a listing. If there was such a book it would tell me about the "Pecker." I didn't have to look in my home collection of magazines, to find a celebrity with the name of David Pecker.
No looking in a book. No going to a library. Just "copy, paste, and then click" And I must add another idea: In some computers, ( I don't have one,) you can talk into the computer. It will find out about the name instantly. No copy, paste and search...it does it by talking to it. Is this a revolution, or a change, or what is it?
A short story highlights this. On September 11, 2001 at about 9 am I went to the local library to get on the computer to see what was happening. After a short time, someone said, "switch your computer too a particular site, there is something horrible going on" So I did. If I recall, the library had 6 computers for internet use, and I was on one of them. (I would always get there early to get one of the computers)
Now, things have changed. Children as young as 5 or 6 are walking around with hand held computers, and playing games on them. Now I am not making this up. At age 7, a child can learn to use the computer to search and find information. Also, the young boy or girl can call home on the computer to talk to mom or dad about the day's events. Or an emergency. Or anything. No library, no typing, no searching, just talk into a hand held devise that fits into a pocket. Yes, the thing must be charged up often to keep it going, but that is not difficult. Information gathering and communication has changed dramatically. Proof?..A corporation called "Apple" is the first trillion dollar company...Is that true? Wait, I better search for it on my computer....?
(side note..I found this in a search: Apple Hits $1 Trillion Market Cap Before Stock Market Close | Fortune)
fortune.com › Tech › Apple
20 hours ago - According to a quarterly report that Apple filed with the SEC on Wednesday, the company had 4,829,926,000 shares outstanding as of July 20, the most recent figure available. Based on that number, Apple's stock needed to reach $207.05 a share to be worth $1 trillion, which it did today.
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I hadn't thought of it that way, but you are right. This is a monumental change. "Both resulted in an explosion in the ability to rapidly spread information."
I remember the time when many people did not have a "television." People would gather at someone's house who had one, and we watched it together. They were so expensive back in the late 40s or early 50s. And the price came down, and down. Everyone has one, or two, or three. What has become of this world?
