Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0005
L. Solymar
Several attempts at inventing the telephone are described, particularly the crucial contribution of Alexander Graham Bell. The invention was offered to Western Union but its managing director declined to accept the offer on the basis that he saw no future for the telephone. The head of the British Post Office, William Preece, had similar views. He believed that the availability of messenger boys will make the telephone unnecessary. Women’s employment prospects improved with the emergence of telephone exchanges. The growth in the telephone networks is shown graphically. Telephone broadcasting worked in Budapest for nearly four decades including the First World War.
{"title":"The Telephone","authors":"L. Solymar","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0005","url":null,"abstract":"Several attempts at inventing the telephone are described, particularly the crucial contribution of Alexander Graham Bell. The invention was offered to Western Union but its managing director declined to accept the offer on the basis that he saw no future for the telephone. The head of the British Post Office, William Preece, had similar views. He believed that the availability of messenger boys will make the telephone unnecessary. Women’s employment prospects improved with the emergence of telephone exchanges. The growth in the telephone networks is shown graphically. Telephone broadcasting worked in Budapest for nearly four decades including the First World War.","PeriodicalId":113461,"journal":{"name":"Getting the Message","volume":"251 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116444483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0021
L. Solymar
The claims of artificial intelligence are criticized. Most of the claims are regarded as hype or simple examples of automation. The progress of machines in playing games and beating world champions is described, but the artificial intelligence is still thought not to represent human intelligence. It is concluded that the programs are intelligent but not the machines. A 1921 play by Capek coining the word and introducing the modern interpretation of robots is analysed. Examples of robots and of virtual assistants in service at the moment are provided. The future of driverless cars is discussed, and it is concluded that fully autonomous cars are still many decades, rather than years, away.
{"title":"Artificial Intelligence","authors":"L. Solymar","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0021","url":null,"abstract":"The claims of artificial intelligence are criticized. Most of the claims are regarded as hype or simple examples of automation. The progress of machines in playing games and beating world champions is described, but the artificial intelligence is still thought not to represent human intelligence. It is concluded that the programs are intelligent but not the machines. A 1921 play by Capek coining the word and introducing the modern interpretation of robots is analysed. Examples of robots and of virtual assistants in service at the moment are provided. The future of driverless cars is discussed, and it is concluded that fully autonomous cars are still many decades, rather than years, away.","PeriodicalId":113461,"journal":{"name":"Getting the Message","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115441072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0009
L. Solymar
Various uses of the microwave spectrum are discussed. The first realisation was communications across the Channel by British and French engineers in 1931. During the Second World War enormous effort was expended to harness microwaves for radar. The research work was often done with limited resources (a poem by one of the participants describes the efforts). The operation of Microwave links described; how they can be used for Long Distance Communications. Satellite communications and the men who put them in practice (Rudi Kompfner and John Pierce of Bell Laboratories) are introduced and the first few satellites are described in somewhat more detail. Operation of microwave waveguides is explained.
{"title":"Microwaves","authors":"L. Solymar","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0009","url":null,"abstract":"Various uses of the microwave spectrum are discussed. The first realisation was communications across the Channel by British and French engineers in 1931. During the Second World War enormous effort was expended to harness microwaves for radar. The research work was often done with limited resources (a poem by one of the participants describes the efforts). The operation of Microwave links described; how they can be used for Long Distance Communications. Satellite communications and the men who put them in practice (Rudi Kompfner and John Pierce of Bell Laboratories) are introduced and the first few satellites are described in somewhat more detail. Operation of microwave waveguides is explained.","PeriodicalId":113461,"journal":{"name":"Getting the Message","volume":"85 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126230512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0008
L. Solymar
Wars, as usual, are responsible for many technical advances. Among the most significant was the invention of new devices capable of producing higher frequencies which were to be called microwaves. This made possible the emergence of radar both for military and civil communications and sometime later Long Distance Communications was realized by microwave links where information was sent from tower to tower. Microwave networks were built in all industrialized countries. It was followed by satellite communications, first passive (relying on signal reflection) and later active, that re-radiated signal. The first mobile phones also used microwave frequencies. Further advances like digitalization, optical fibres, and inter-computer communications are introduced.
{"title":"Great Advances","authors":"L. Solymar","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0008","url":null,"abstract":"Wars, as usual, are responsible for many technical advances. Among the most significant was the invention of new devices capable of producing higher frequencies which were to be called microwaves. This made possible the emergence of radar both for military and civil communications and sometime later Long Distance Communications was realized by microwave links where information was sent from tower to tower. Microwave networks were built in all industrialized countries. It was followed by satellite communications, first passive (relying on signal reflection) and later active, that re-radiated signal. The first mobile phones also used microwave frequencies. Further advances like digitalization, optical fibres, and inter-computer communications are introduced.","PeriodicalId":113461,"journal":{"name":"Getting the Message","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117161407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0011
L. Solymar
Digital electronics (based on signals in the form of pulses) turned out to be superior to analogue electronics which produced the exact waveforms. The emergence of digital techniques reduced noise and at the same time was less demanding of bandwidth. Pulse code modulation was introduced and became the dominant form of modulation. The operation of digital exchanges is explained. Their growth is plotted as a function of time for the decade 1987–97. Digital signal processing is discussed. Shannon’s theory predicting that a certain amount of information can be transmitted entirely free of noise is discussed.
{"title":"Digitalization","authors":"L. Solymar","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0011","url":null,"abstract":"Digital electronics (based on signals in the form of pulses) turned out to be superior to analogue electronics which produced the exact waveforms. The emergence of digital techniques reduced noise and at the same time was less demanding of bandwidth. Pulse code modulation was introduced and became the dominant form of modulation. The operation of digital exchanges is explained. Their growth is plotted as a function of time for the decade 1987–97. Digital signal processing is discussed. Shannon’s theory predicting that a certain amount of information can be transmitted entirely free of noise is discussed.","PeriodicalId":113461,"journal":{"name":"Getting the Message","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130076378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0017
L. Solymar
The total number of satellites ever launched is about 2000. The operation of satellite networks, Iridium in particular, is described. Iridium has 66 satellites in orbit, enabling it to send messages from any point on Earth to any other point. Satellites past their useful life are disposed of in graveyard orbits. Geostationary satellites do not move relative to the Earth but being far away have the disadvantage of delaying the signal they process. Low Earth orbits have no noticeable delay but each one is available for relaying information for no more than 15 minutes. There was a disaster when launching one of the satellites when all three astronauts died instantly. Another notable accident was a collision between two satellites. No human life was lost but it resulted in debris that has since posed further threats to orbiting satellites.
{"title":"Satellites Again","authors":"L. Solymar","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0017","url":null,"abstract":"The total number of satellites ever launched is about 2000. The operation of satellite networks, Iridium in particular, is described. Iridium has 66 satellites in orbit, enabling it to send messages from any point on Earth to any other point. Satellites past their useful life are disposed of in graveyard orbits. Geostationary satellites do not move relative to the Earth but being far away have the disadvantage of delaying the signal they process. Low Earth orbits have no noticeable delay but each one is available for relaying information for no more than 15 minutes. There was a disaster when launching one of the satellites when all three astronauts died instantly. Another notable accident was a collision between two satellites. No human life was lost but it resulted in debris that has since posed further threats to orbiting satellites.","PeriodicalId":113461,"journal":{"name":"Getting the Message","volume":"136 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131679538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0022
L. Solymar
Some past predictions of the future are discussed, how both in Britain and in France during the nineteenth century illustrated newspapers predicted that by the year 2000 communications between people would involve sending moving pictures from faraway places. A few major technical innovations are envisaged. Most things will just be improved, e.g. full movies will be downloadable in seconds. In the political sphere it is emphasized that apart from a small elite, interest in politics will decline. In most parts of the world people will be happy to accept the word of authorities on any subject. Education will sink to its lowest common denominator.
{"title":"The Future","authors":"L. Solymar","doi":"10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198863007.003.0022","url":null,"abstract":"Some past predictions of the future are discussed, how both in Britain and in France during the nineteenth century illustrated newspapers predicted that by the year 2000 communications between people would involve sending moving pictures from faraway places. A few major technical innovations are envisaged. Most things will just be improved, e.g. full movies will be downloadable in seconds. In the political sphere it is emphasized that apart from a small elite, interest in politics will decline. In most parts of the world people will be happy to accept the word of authorities on any subject. Education will sink to its lowest common denominator.","PeriodicalId":113461,"journal":{"name":"Getting the Message","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128043857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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