Information Technology Comes Full Circle
by Pat Brown
Information Technology – Pat Brown recommends a book that examines the means used by humans to define, preserve and communicate information throughout history.
Don Davis turned me onto a good book while we were in Phoenix conducting the Technicians seminar.
The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood by James Gleick is a book about everything. He examines the means used by humans to define, preserve and communicate information throughout history, including the spoken word, symbols, pictures and eventually letters and words. He also examines distance communication, including signal fires, talking drums, the telegraph, radio, etc.
From a modern perspective, one would assume that each new technology was welcomed and quickly replaced the older “inferior” forms. This is not what happened. The reason is that the reference to which each new technology was compared was face-to-face communication using the spoken word. Since it involves all of the senses, it was seen as the only way that an author could really convey their thoughts. Innovations such as the alphabet, writing and the book were seen as too one-dimensional and incapable of accurately communicating an idea. Many intellects shunned them altogether, refusing to lower themselves to such limited means of conveyance. The same criticisms were leveled at other “constrained channels,” including the telegraph, the telephone, radio and email. Today we would extend it to the “text message.”
What was needed was a means of communication that fully utilized the human senses. Our generation is witnessing the culmination of that quest with the invention of television (a relatively short-lived medium), the computer, and the Internet.
How do you get your information? How will you get your information?
Consider the paradox. The alphabet was originally seen by many as a virus – something that would dilute the ability to communicate an idea. But today many still like their morning newspaper, because it’s what they grew up with and have become accustomed to. Amazon’s Kindle is popular because it is “book-like” with the familiar look and feel of paper – a medium that was considered inferior at the time of its invention. The tablet PC or Smartphone, on the other hand, are interactive, multi-dimensional and involve more of the senses. I’m more of a Kindle-type, but my kids have embraced the iPad.
These are realities that must all face. When is it time to “move on?” The answer is unique to the individual. Those who face the greatest dilemma are the information sources – the writers and teachers, and the information outlets – the publishers of newspapers, magazines and periodicals. The writing is on the wall regarding the demise of the printed page, but the gradient of change could take a long time. It’s hard to imagine that in 100 years there will be such a thing as a daily newspaper, or possibly a printed book.
At SynAudCon, our guiding philosophy is based on the original dilemma. How can we teach audio in ways that fully engage the human senses? We’ve tried it all – articles, newsletters, live seminars and most recently the Web. Of all of the means available to communicate information and ideas, only the Web shows the promise of fully engaging the senses of vision and sound in multiple dimensions.
I will close with a fun bit of multimedia to illustrate my point. pb