HIDDEN FIGURES IN COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY: DR. MARK E DEAN

Computer Technology; Ohhhhh ohhh the world we’d live-in if it wasn’t for-‘em (sometimes I think much better off but that’s for an entirely different blog post) Every house hold has a computer! Every house hold has more than one! And being such a recognized house hold device there are so many hidden figures to the invention, developing processes and programming that make up the modern computer, although when we put faces to the names that shaped computer technology in history- we think Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steven Hawking even Ashton Kutcher(?!?!) But there are many names that have been left out of the (predominantly white male) communication technologies history hall of fame.

One of which is an African American man Dr Mark E Dean. A computer scientist and engineer who worked for IBM in the 80’s (manufactures and markets computer hardware, middleware and software) Dr. Dean was instrumental in the invention of the Personal Computer (PC) and led a team that designed the ISA bus—the hardware interface that allows multiple devices like printers, modems, and keyboards to be plugged into a computer. This innovation helped pave the way for the personal computer’s use in office and business settings. Dean also helped develop the first color computer monitor, and in 1999 he led the team of programmers that created the world’s first gigahertz chip. Dr. Dean holds three of the original nine patents on the computer that all PCs are based upon.

CONSUMER COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES TIMELINE

A COMMUNICATIONS TIME LINE!!! A timeline I made that consists of  consumer communication technologies found from our Lab Task slides. My timeline is from the birth, or invention of each item, we have;


1900: Kodak Brownie Camera 
1956: The Remote Control for television
1965: Kodak Super 8mm Film
1982: Rotary Telephone
1982: CD ROM
1982: Beta Cam VCR
1985: HI-8 Video
1992: Mini Disk Player
1992: 56K Dial Up Modem
2000: The Floppy Disk

For all those eager to listen of ten hours worth of 56k internet dial up, click above ;) you're welcome

ARISTOTLE: MODE OF [ONE SIDED] COMMUNICATION IS KEY

The Greek philosopher Aristotle who, I might add lived in 384-322 B.C. (So taking his great teachings with a grain of salt is much required.) Had plenty of impressive revisions under his girdle. Physics, logic, mathematics and he even tutored hotshot military-man Alexander the Great to name a few. But while in his exploration of the human nature, Aristotle developed a linear model of communication known as ~“ARISTOTLES MODE OF COMMUNICATION”~ Which was considered the first model of communication proposed before 300 B.C.

Aristotle giving Alexander the Great his reckonings

What I found interesting is even though this particular model can only be used in public speaking (As there was no concept of feedback or communication failures like noise and barriers taken into account) Aristotles Model is mainly focused on speaker and speech, and like much of his work, is vaguely divided into 5 primary elements: Speaker, Speech, Occasion, Audience and Effect.

As you can see from this BORING diagram (I tried to find something a little more exhilarating to engage in but alas, could not) Aristotles model explains a speaker centred model as the only active speaker that has the most important role of delivering speech to the passive and influenced audience. Open to many interpretations and criticisms; one of which by Shannon and Weaver, This makes the communication process which must be clear in speech with very good non-verbal communication, only one way.

Now I’m unsure about you and I’m by no means a scholar of physics, logic, human nature or mathematics and the only person I’ve successfully tutored once was a foreign student all the swear words in the English dictionary but one way communication seems a little dictator-y and propaganda-ry to me, don’t you think? But that’s just my reckoning.