1. Johannes Guttenberg and the Printing Press

2. Early Communication and Writing Its unclear how long human beings have been using oral communication or “language” with each other, but many scientists speculate it originated around 100,000 years ago. Oral transfer of information only

3. Early Communication and Writing Similarly, the earliest evidence of written language dates back to ancient Sumer (Mesopotamia) around 3,200 BCE Symbols etched into clay tablets (Cuneiform) Written transfer of information  costly/time consuming

4. Early Communication and Writing Various languages develop and evolve around the world over the next 4,000 years Process of creating and duplicating written language remains roughly the same Hand written Requires literacy Translations Costly/time consuming

5. Text Duplication and Distribution (Middle Ages) In order to survive, all texts had to be carefully copied by hand Monks Only most important documents were reproduced Most often translating the Bible into multiple languages A single Bible translation could take years

6. Life in Medieval Europe (15 th Century) Small communities Feudal system Worker/Nobles/Lords/Monarchs Catholic church Only church in Europe Headed by Pope Literacy Only wealthy people or members of the clergy (church) No transfer/access to info other than word-of-mouth or Church (tradition)

7. Enter Gutenberg… Johannes Gutenberg (1398 – 1468) German-born blacksmith Created the first movable-type printing in Europe around 1450 A.D Adapted from wine presser Interchangeable letters of the alphabet made from lead, tin, antimony mix (very durable) Drastically changed the speed, cost of producing, and availability of texts From 1452-1455, Gutenberg produced about 200 Bibles with the printing press

8. Effects of Print Press Availability of texts skyrocket Cost of texts greatly decreases Literacy among common people begins to increase dramatically as availability and more texts become available and affordable Increased information access and transfer brought on by the printing press sets in motion the ideas of the: European Reformation Renaissance Scientific Revolution Age of Enlightenment Perhaps the single most influential invention of the Modern Age

9. Fast-forward 500 years… During the mid 1950’s a radical new communication system was being formed (in the U.S.) using electronic signals sent and received by computers In response to growing global threats during the Cold War ARAPNET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) Predecessor of the Internet First to create interconnected network via TCP/IP Acted as “movable print” of the network (manipulates data for organization, transmission, and reception) At this time, computers could be as large as a warehouse room and could cost millions of dollars Very little commercial access to computers ($$)

10. ARAPNET (1971)

11. Modern Internet and the Information Age With the advent of the personal computer in the 1980’s, Internet accessibility explodes By 1995, commercial users of the Internet outnumber academic/research users 2:1 By 2012, over 2 billion people have access to the Internet (roughly a third of the population) Massive informational implications for: Education Commerce Entertainment

12. Think Questions… How has the Internet influenced your life? What do you think your life would be like without the Internet? Similarities Differences