As we all know, nowadays mankind has entered the digital age. In the field of electronic information system, which is widely used in modern times, digital circuits for processing discrete information are indispensable everywhere. Such as all digital computers, advanced communication systems, industrial control systems, traffic control systems, washing machines and televisions, etc., all use electronic technology in the design process. The rapid development and wide application of digital technology attract people’s attention. Digital technology is a kind of science and technology accompanied with electronic computer. It is a technology that converts all kinds of information into binary numbers that can be recognized by electronic computer and then processes or calculates them. Its development, like analog circuits, has gone through the process from electronic tubes, discrete semiconductor devices to integrated circuits.
Among the many people who have contributed to the development of computer or digital technology, Marian R. Croak impressed me most. She is the inventor of voice over Internet protocol. I think she is a forward-looking woman. She advocated that we should switch from wired telephone technology to Internet service in the early days. I think it’s brave and talented to have this idea in the days when wired telephones were used. During the epidemic, her invention enabled us to maintain the normal operation of our study and work through Zoom, a video conference software.
I was impressed by Ada Lovelace in the BBC documentary. In 1834, her friend Charles Babbage invented a small prototype, while Ada thought of using addition and approximation to write algorithms for this analyzer. She wrote the first set of algorithms in the world, which is also regarded as the earliest computer program and software. Ada and Charles played the role of pioneers in the history of computer development.
After this week’s teaching, my understanding of computer and digital technology has changed a lot. My peers and I have been exposed to mature computers and information technology since birth, and I have not participated in their development. From my childhood understanding, the computer and digital technologies we use now exist naturally, and I don’t think this is a special existence. But this week, I learned a lot about the history of the development of computer and digital technology, and then I realized that behind the development of computer and digital technology, there are many brave attempts and breakthroughs, as well as many bold conjectures and innovations. It is precisely because of these people’s efforts that we can enjoy the convenience brought by digital technology in the 21st century. I admire and thank them very much.
