I first got involved with computers in 1968 in the USAF. According to Wikipedia, the AN/FSQ-7 (affectionately known to many of us as “Clyde”) was the largest computer ever built. Designed and built by IBM in the 1950s, it weighed 250 tons, had 60,000 vacuum tubes, and used up to 3 megawatts of electricity.
I have read that the S1 chip in the Apple Watch on my wrist is more powerful than the original iPad, which would indicate that its processing power is greater than Clyde’s. Yet it hardly weighs anything and has it own built-in battery that runs it for a couple of days in my case.
Similarly, we went from the first heavier-than-air flight in 1903 to walking on the moon in 1969, all within the average lifespan of a human being.
Likewise, from the first transatlantic radio signal in 1901, to the first public satellite television signals in 1962.
My mother was an extremely intelligent woman born in 1915, and was utterly unable to comprehend the internet, web, email, etc. It was just too much for her. Likewise, a very good friend of mine born in 1925 was an MIT grad and a project manager for highly classified projects at McDonnell Douglas, yet rarely used email as it was just too strange for him. He Skyped with friends all over the world, but email was a chore.
My point here is simply that we think we’re on top of things today but we have absolutely no clue what the world will be like when the next generation is as old as we are today.
I have read that the S1 chip in the Apple Watch on my wrist is more powerful than the original iPad, which would indicate that its processing power is greater than Clyde’s. Yet it hardly weighs anything and has it own built-in battery that runs it for a couple of days in my case.
Similarly, we went from the first heavier-than-air flight in 1903 to walking on the moon in 1969, all within the average lifespan of a human being.
Likewise, from the first transatlantic radio signal in 1901, to the first public satellite television signals in 1962.
My mother was an extremely intelligent woman born in 1915, and was utterly unable to comprehend the internet, web, email, etc. It was just too much for her. Likewise, a very good friend of mine born in 1925 was an MIT grad and a project manager for highly classified projects at McDonnell Douglas, yet rarely used email as it was just too strange for him. He Skyped with friends all over the world, but email was a chore.
My point here is simply that we think we’re on top of things today but we have absolutely no clue what the world will be like when the next generation is as old as we are today.