Why the history of computing is not a straight line
In short: We often imagine computing as a steady climb from pebbles to smartphones. But what if this 'grand narrative' is a myth? Dr. Doron Swade suggests we should stop looking for a single evolutionary chain and start looking at a complex web of diverging and merging streams.
The traditional story of computing is one of 'evolutionary gradualism.' It begins with Roman calculi—small pebbles used for counting—and moves through the mechanical tools of the Enlightenment, such as logarithms and slide rules, eventually reaching Babbage’s engines and the modern smartphone. This version of history suggests a continuous, cheerful progress where innovation is a direct response to human toil. This progression also encompasses the era of electromechanical devices and the later transition to the electronic phase. It includes the rise of Herman Hollerith’s tabulators and the significant expansion of office automation during the early 1900s.
However, Dr. Doron Swade argues that this linear model is misleading. It relies on a 'technocentric' view that ignores periods of dormancy, such as the 'hundred dark years,' and overlooks simultaneous inventions like those of Konrad Zuse. This 'grand narrative' also tends to de-select parallel influences that didn't make the final cut, such as the abacus, the Curta, or the slide rule, creating a false sense of monocausal progression. The narrative often overlooks the complexities of latency and acceptance regarding figures like John Atanasoff and the ENIAC. It also tends to frame certain breakthroughs as 'rescue narratives' where innovation is seen as a relief for practitioners facing heavy workloads.
A more accurate map focuses on human activity rather than just device advancement. Swade proposes viewing history as the convergence and divergence of distinct computational paradigms. These separate threads include calculation, automatic computation, information management, and communication. By shifting from a focus on the machines themselves to the functions they perform, we see a much more complex landscape of how technology actually develops and integrates into the Electronic Information Age. This framework allows us to trace the origins of the core concepts that define our modern era. Ultimately, this approach helps us understand the transition into the current Electronic Information Age.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Grand Narrative of the History of Computing - Professor Doron Swade
- Also: The Grand Narrative of the History of Computing
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