At the start of the video, the author states that the computer technology has become a billion dollar business. This sounds very unrealistic, keeping in mind the fact that it all began in a garage by a couple of youngsters, who wanted to create their own company. The first minutes of the documentary show a large area, where computer parts are being sold. For some people this is an opportunity to explore a world, which was just being created. One of the most interesting things about the way computer companies started was friends hanging out together and having fun. Programming was their life, a way of spending time, up to the point, where all other daily activities would become secondary. Talking and thinking about computers and new advancements became the primary target in the life of a “computer nerd”.
In an interview, young Steve Jobs tries to explain the thrill of writing a program. He compares it to a manifestation of a personal idea in a machine. In reality, it is quite interesting that a human being can input data into the pieces of metal and plastic, and in such a way receive back a response that could be predicted or calculated. The interaction between the machine and a human was just beginning, but even though it might seem boring to some people, it was a realization of a dream for others. Programming is compared to other hobbies that people have. There is no explanation why a person likes a particular action or object. It resonates with their emotions in such a way that they want to keep participating and experimenting. This was the beginning of the time, which would change the whole world, and no one could even calculate the rate of acceleration it would take.
Riding the Bear
The history has shown that there are people, whose skills have set them apart from the rest. There are a number of professions that individuals excel in, and one of them is business. It entails an idea, a company, and a man or few, who are in charge. Steve Jobs is thought to be one of such men. He was an entrepreneur and a business man, who changed the world of technology and mobility.
Jobs and Wozniak were pioneers in the computer industry. As Steve Jobs was very determined in everything he did, using his persistence and intelligent talk in relation to computers and future possibilities, he convinced Bill Hewlett, one of the owners of Hewlett-Packard, to give Steve some computer details for free in order to build the computing machine. The bargaining skills Steve Jobs acquired from his father while selling cars and his knowledge of electronics became very useful for him during his whole life. Wozniak was the one, who built a computer, and Jobs was fascinated by it, so he proposed to create their own company. In 1976 Jobs, Wozniak, and Ron Wayne, who was their design artist, officially signed the papers and Apple came to life. Their first model was called Apple I and was made by Wozniak. By the end of their first year in business, they have sold 150 units of Apple I. In 1977, Apple II became a model of mass sales. While at Apple, Steve was always thought to be separate from the rest of the team, he pursued his own ideas and paid great attention to the details, which many times created problems by delaying the product to the market. In 1985, Wozniak resigns from Apple and Jobs is replaced as chief executive. This is the time, when another shift took place.
Great Artists Steal
This particular video starts off with a personal characteristic of Steve Jobs. His determination and hard work have been the pushing force in the progress of Apple computers.
Steve’s difficult position in the company has not put him down, and this is where determination kept pushing him towards success. In 1986, he starts another company called NeXT. His computer and software are successful but too expensive and so, in 1993, he is forced to close the manufacturing plant and focus his efforts on the software only. In 1996, Apple realizes that Jobs is the “missing link” and he returns.
Steve has always been consumed by his work, focusing all his attention on the search for idea that must change the world. He visited different departments to see their progress and spent countless hours working on the new technology. IBM became Apple’s rival, and this was one of the reasons Jobs was so determinant to change own company. In 1998, the world was introduced to iMac, a computer with an easy access to the internet. In 2001, the iPod comes out. Steve continues to work hard, often being impatient, searching for the breakthrough. Even though in 2003 Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he recovers and puts much effort into that, which revolutionized the world. In 2007, Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone. This device united several previous inventions in one: easy internet access, a cell phone, and the iPod. Steve Jobs is known for his originality in designs, innovation, and persistence. Even though he was sometimes impatient towards his co-workers, his perfectionist nature and attention to the details made him the person he was. His ability to quickly change decisions was one of his greatest strengths. His entrepreneurial skills can be traced to his childhood and have lasted all his life. In the end, Steve Jobs showed that he was to endure the competition and eventually won.
Networking the Nerds
The beginning of the internet era was just starting, so the video seems extremely outdated comparing to the modern days. People are just beginning to talk about the cyber space revolution. The cyber world has being often described in many books as a fascinating place and has being used as the bases for many computer games and movies. With the development of technology, including that of gaming consoles, the game world has become a form of cyberspace that people escape to. There is a lot of literature on this subject, as well as technological simulators of the “unreal” world.
The beginning of the video illustrates the way people get older by being on the internet. Comparing it to the dog years, one year in the cyber space equals to 7 years of regular life seems hilarious. In reality, this concept does need the internet, because people previously have had a similar experience Living fast and dying young is the same concept. A person driving twice as fast, flying all over the world within a week has experienced more than others in a year. Also, a person who reads a lot or is well educated has “aged” mentally without getting older physically. As such, cyber space has only placed more attention on the way people view “space” and the amount of information. The Russians are mentioned as a competitor, who has put a satellite called “Sputnik” into space. This pushed the US to create NASA and go to the moon. This is where computers started developing at an enormous speed. Since then, computers have come from the size of a living room to the size of a palm.
Serving the Suits
The “Net” became a land of opportunity. Young university students with working brains would get involved with networking. Xerox Park is named a dream world, “the future”, where “nerds” would find all what was needed for their dreams, to come true. A revolutionary idea was to connect computers together, which has led to networking. In the modern days, networks have become the key to sharing files, such as movies, pictures, and texts. It is rather reassuring, when the video shows Bill Gates as a youngster, who has become a world known figure in the world of computers.
One of the interesting things mentioned is that Stanford University was one of the centers of several digital discoveries. Unfortunately, people were limited in the time they could use the workstations. As such, the limitations have led people to try to search for the new solutions and discover more than was available. It seems that computers and digital space have found a reflection in human brains and vice versa. People have taken the limitations of their mind and extended them in the cyber world. The network now describes a virtual world, in which people can upload themselves and lead an active lifestyle. Although this idea might have seemed farfetched and unrealistic 10 years ago, it is becoming easier and easier to imagine a world that exists in a computer-software program nowadays. The digital space and the connection between the computers through networks describe the world as a natural, real, but very different space. A comparison is drawn between IBM and Microsoft, as they wanted to go in the different directions. Microsoft was focused on networking, and it is clear that this has proven to be extremely beneficial. IBM was still successful, but has recently become secondary to Apple.
Wiring the World
For the “nerds” the world was becoming smaller by connecting it with wires, while their office spaces were becoming larger. From a garage, the students have gone to buying cars and houses. From the time the video came out, 1998, ten years have surpassed all the predictions made by people in that era. The video talks about financial calculations and aiding people in the industries, but no one was able to imagine that cyberspace will become a way of life for millions of people.
In the twenty-first century, the use of technology has become an everyday occurrence. People are dependent on it in almost all aspects of life. Technology is mostly beneficial when looking at mass production, and products and services that are made with the help of the advanced technology. Digital Media and its use within the society have drastically changed the world. An even greater increase in technological advancements has made the transference and use of information fast and accessible. Blogs have become very successful by discussing products, services, and ideas; people create communities that connect through their common goal and want to decide on the best choice. Of course, there are problems with reliability, because a great amount of people participating in a discussion does not necessarily mean that the information is truthful or exact. Overall, there is a clear evidence that even brand names rely on blogs and social networks, such as Facebook, to transfer information and advertise their products or services.
The modern world has experienced a great leap forward in the computer technology and other innovations. This has led to a lot of companies providing software that can be used publicly. This creates serious completion for the companies that do not share their programs and ideas. Customers that acquire services of proprietary vendors become dependent on the company, whereas open-source programs and distributors allow for free access, modification, distribution, and copying of software. This fact has allowed people to connect instantly and use little money to do many things.
