People are always ready to embrace and adopt new technologies. This can be explained by people’s behavior of trying to comprehend electronic content, computers and the internet by reading content that gives guideline on this.
Different age groups of people engage in diversified reading with regard to technology all in an effort of getting more knowledge and insight on how to go about using the present modes of technology. The bits are bits idea by Negroponte shows how larger components can be transformed into minor segments which can be easily accessed with the help of computers.
Everything that is tangible in form has been converted in bits that can be accessed from a computer. To start with, there were the actual objects like books and CDs. Later, these were converted into computer software that enhanced accessibility across the globe. As a result of this, the world has become a small village referred to as “the global village”. This way, people from different corners of life are able to interact and share ideas that have been translated into bits and can be accessed from the computer.
Digital technology reduces time and money. Previously, before the world became digitalized, the entire economic telecommunications model relied on charges per minute, per bits (data) or per mile.
The disruption of human to human interactions due to digitalization has resulted into timelessness since one does not need to spend a lot of time trying to get in touch with someone else who may be overseas. This has been achieved by the fact that the world is a global village thus transmitting information does not have to rely on time and money.
A click of the mouse is enough to have the information appearing on every computer in the world. Face book is a perfect example of this, one can post any kind of information that will be accessed by a large number of people without having to incur expenses or spend a lot of time. The conversion of the world into a digital world meant no distance, no time consumption and therefore fast delivery of computer content.
For example, music, which was delivered in five hours, is currently delivered in no more than five seconds. The same case applies to movies and distance. The movement from New York to London has been made easy by the presence of the satellite. The act of being digital makes it possible for people to create atoms (books, CDs and related tangible objects) from bits (computerized data) and bits from atoms.
This means that technology can be used to achieve an intended effect like in desktop conferencing. The use of bits from atoms is cheaper as compared with obtaining the actual atoms, which are things like books, CDs, et cetera, since there are no middlemen. In addition, no distance is covered. Negroponte has used his wired column of being digital as an example to show how technology transmits information in the simplest form more efficiently and effectively.
However, being digital has disrupted the structure of the society and cultural values. This is because, as the world becomes a global village, cultural values from a different society are assimilated and this dilutes the originally held cultural values. Digital technology is also associated with refined and less detailed information as most of the wired columns lack illustrations. High-definition televisions have destroyed broadcasting power.
Ownership of bits in the digital world is not certain. This is because there are no copyright laws to protect the ones who make the bits’ inventories and as a result, bits’ cost, ownership and interaction with people are usually up for grabs. One can find e-books and download movies and music from the internet without giving credit to the owner. This way, the author or producer of a book, film or movie fails to get his or her rightful compensation.
The contemporary world is an ultimate reflection of how Negroponte viewed it. Everything has become digitalized and a recent example is the world cup where people could actually refer to the match from the internet days after due to availability of bits with regard to the match. The fact that books, music and movies can be easily obtained from the internet is a show that technology is a great referencing point that can be used to source for information and events with ease.