Fast disappearing technology generations – Neos Kosmos

With a brand new yr already upon us, most of us have new expectations and search new alternatives within the horizon. New expectations to evaluate our private, household and communities’ standing throughout and past 2023. All in an epoch the place every little thing adjustments on the pace of sunshine, or in consonance with technological development.

Earlier than we obtain something although, we have to set a stable base upon which this future might be constructed. It’s all the time honourable to acknowledge and make our second nature the phrases: (a) I have no idea, (b) I’m pleased to fail making an attempt, and (c) I like what I might be engaged on, not essentially in that order.

Additionally, we must always endeavour to seek out what medium we’ll use to hold us over to our a lot sought-after targets. Often, if not all the time, new know-how performs an instrumental function in particular person or institutional progress. We usually have a look at know-how to determine what’s defining at present’s computing revolution and industrial generations.

Scientifically the very fact is we’re already previous the fourth technology in computing, which is being mentioned throughout the globe because the period the place know-how has reached a suitable stage; computer systems working on wires and equipment, mechanical tools interacting with people. That which actually marks the tip of fourth technology computing is the invention of robotics. Now we have been capable of obtain much more, loads sharper, loads safer lately, utilizing robots. There is no such thing as a doubt about that. However usually we marvel what the subsequent technology is. The place are we heading? Are we actually discovering innovations as we study and focus on progress, or can we comply with a pre-determined plan?

The final view is that technological generations are outlined by the next intervals (associated to however not precisely aligning with industrial revolution generations):

1)     1940 to 1956 after we began with vacuum tubes and ended up with large calculators.

2)     1957 to 1963 after we launched transistor know-how to switch vacuum tubes.

3)     1964 to 1971 when built-in circuits have been launched (IC) and nonetheless used at present.

4)     1972 to 2010 when microprocessors have been invented (microprocessors are chips inside built-in circuits which do calculations at speeds by no means seen earlier than). Introduction of first house computer systems, introduced by IBM with enter and output units, like a keyboard / mouse (enter) and a monitor / printer and so forth (output). This technology improved our understanding of what computing energy is all about and its use.

5)     2010 to at present. What’s defining at present’s computing revolution and technology isn’t clear but. Now we have not reached the purpose the place we will say we perceive precisely the place that is taking us. We launched AI (Synthetic Intelligence) to a big scale and quantum computing, issues that we don’t absolutely comprehend but publicly. It’s fascinating for the general public to grasp technological development.

I wish to make a necessary insertion right here, with a remark geared toward regulators who outline the 5 know-how generations above declaring that there existed computing units earlier than 1940. So far as I’m involved, regulators determined to name this yr as the beginning of technological generations, as a result of they lacked historic information, or their understanding of historical advances in know-how was very restricted. It’s like somebody saying, “earlier than my information, nothing existed”. Or the reasonable Gorgias’ solipsism which holds that “information of something exterior one’s personal thoughts is uncertain or could not exist”.

The query at hand, and if we settle for the 5 generations above, is the place do regulators place the Antikythera Mechanism (invented by Hellenes between 220 to 150 BC)? And earlier than that, the Minoan-Period Eclipse calculator (circa 1500 BC).

To elucidate ourselves higher we have to outline what’s a pc. The way in which I might outline it, a pc is a man-made gadget that may course of and retailer knowledge. It issues little whether it is an digital, a mechanical or a hydraulic gadget. The truth is, in case you google it, you’ll get this reply: “pc is an digital gadget for storing and processing knowledge, usually in binary type, in keeping with directions given to it…” – Oh binary type, i.e. “on” or “off” bits positioned to be able to type a byte. Is that when computing began? Or did we simply change the definition then? Digital gadget? So, if something non-electronic can course of and retailer knowledge is that not a pc?

Properly, the Minoan-Period Eclipse calculator, invented throughout the Minoan interval, was calculating the eclipse of the moon and the solar given the suitable settings, and as a sundial or an instrument for the willpower of the geographical latitude. The Antikythera Mechanism, was predicting astronomical positions and eclipses upfront. Then it’s the Astrolabe which precedes the Antikythera Mechanism (invented round 170 BC). Equally, to the opposite two, this one might course of a number of challenges in astronomy.

At this level it must be mentioned that the above historical mechanisms have been extra exactly outlined as analogue computer systems, however they have been computer systems, however even when not digital.

Therefore in my mind-set we’re now already previous the fifth technology of know-how, going onto the sixth, for the reason that first interval might be previous to 1940 as outlined by regulators or “consultants” above.

Allow us to not squabble about generations although. What we must always squabble about is one thing else, rather more necessary, rather more helpful to our future wellbeing. The truth is, most of the people has no concept what’s modern in know-how at present. Most of us search for the subsequent app on our sensible units. The intense want is to know what precisely is being invented nowadays, behind closed doorways and behind guarded buildings with thick concrete partitions.

The general public has a proper to completely perceive cryptocurrencies, and what profit can they convey to our world. The general public must additionally perceive quantum computing. Why ought to the likes of Elon Masks have the suitable to outline chips for folks’s brains? Who’s going to manage and even examine the innermost capabilities or packages (collection of instructions) in these built-in circuits? How can or not it’s allowed {that a} single entity or an individual to manage information even when they’ve the funds to help this management?

Historically, massive organisations don’t have any intention of exposing info on their invention as invention and technological development means analysis and plenty and many funding. On this approach solely the very wealthy and the very influential can management this revolution, which in my thoughts isn’t precisely proper; predominantly as a result of it concentrates energy over mankind’s progress or demise to the only a few, and as such it might simply be manipulated.

However who’s going to tell the general public and encourage it to seek out the suitable solutions? Do we’d like a wider dialogue? Ought to we legislate in opposition to any particular person or organisation not disclosing their actual intentions? Do we have now an allegory right here like Plato’s cave?

A plethora of questions together with how necessary it’s to confess that we don’t have to struggle new know-how, as computing units are solely instruments. A device within the fallacious fingers can incite devastating destruction, whereas in the suitable fingers can revolutionise humanity, and considerably pace up progress.

The fifth technology of computing is already upon us then. It has introduced with it Synthetic Intelligence which we do not know the place it will lead us. In a earlier article titled “The psychology a part of AI” printed in Neos Kosmos in September 2021 I famous:

“The largest problem lies in two elements:

(1) how humanity will settle for such intelligent instruments and

(2) the result of the battle between the human race and AI from which man is already lagging behind in lots of areas.”

Nonetheless, again in 2021 I noticed far much less of technological progress than I now perceive. Being in know-how improvement as a career it’s important to maintain up with all technological advances. One doesn’t essentially have to know every little thing (man by no means will be capable to know every little thing). The query is whether or not machine and AI will be capable to accomplish that?

What can be helpful for the frequent good since new know-how all the time wins. Whether or not we settle for and use it, discovering our personal little revolution or deciding to do with out it, new know-how wins in the long run. Moreover, the conflict between previous and new even when controversial and stuffed with heated exchanges of opinion solely prompts for enhancements in know-how flaws. It does nothing to discourage many from utilizing and enhancing it. Extra to the purpose, whoever understands and makes use of the tradition of change is a winner.

I would not have the intention, nor the house, of masking cryptocurrencies and blockchain applied sciences right here however I’ll sooner or later sooner or later. Like everybody else I would like to just accept that “I don’t know” earlier than I’ve an opportunity to study. Many journalists and commentators come out promoting detailed information in blockchain know-how issues. Many fault and reject it, more often than not as a result of they use confirmed failed reasoning and experiences of the previous to evaluate it. New applied sciences want a contemporary method, not outdated reasoning which failed us previously.

Challenges in know-how don’t concern the technological revolution, these belong to the previous. And don’t suppose as a result of cryptocurrencies have been devastated in 2022 it’s the finish of them. These are important futuristic mechanisms that (a) we don’t absolutely perceive as but and (b) we have now not adequately regulated to make them secure.

Some assistance is on the best way. Now we have most and the most important nations on the earth regulating now. With a easy google seek for the European Cryptocurrency Legal guidelines which have already been made public, folks can entry learn and perceive them. Solely a handful of nations nonetheless have restrictions on the usage of cryptocurrencies. The world is on the point of settle for them.

Australia, alternatively, is lagging on the federal government regulation stage. The Australian Authorities has traditionally taken a minimal intervention method to the regulation of cryptocurrencies. The truth is, they’ve completed nothing a lot and I really feel actually ready for bigger nations to control first. However it’s all incoherent internationally and recognised legal guidelines haven’t been agreed upon; that is the rationale we witness such unbelievable volatility worldwide.

Personally, I’ve not learn all regulation, there are a whole bunch or hundreds of pages, worldwide, however what I’ve learn already I don’t like. As a type of legacy IT programmers earlier than the web even existed, we began our lives with ambitions and a scope to alter this world. Lastly, we simply compromised, permitting know-how to steer us into the long run. We understood that it’s fairly tough to make any course change. It takes a variety of ache and sacrifice and that it have to be a co-ordinated effort. Ought to we begin afresh from floor zero? I nonetheless don’t know. Some carry extra duty than others, we’re not all equal in disclosure and advisory duty. Do we have to maintain these within the know to account?

Then once more “we’re making an attempt to control the long run with previous failed assumptions about know-how” astrophysicist Manos Danezis is crying, and continues “These which are within the know, want to tell all. That is democracy”.

*Iakovos Garivaldis OAM is an IBM Licensed Options Knowledgeable – U2 AppDev, Adm