The same societies, defences, attacks and innovations
that were created in the physical world have all been rediscovered and
recreated in the online world. No-one
seems to have noticed this before now.
Stone Age Society (10,000 BC)
The stone age is generally considered to be the advent of
agriculture at the end of the last ice age.
Before this everything was done manually and just-in-time. Society developed towns, and people started
to develop specialised skills, but each skill replaced a manual process from
before. There were very few defences and
very little interconnectivity.
Stone Age IT (1940)
The IT stone age is generally considered to be the advent
of programmable digital computers at the end of the last world war. Before this everything was done manually and
just-in-time. Engineers developed
computers, and people started to develop specialised skills, but each skill
replaced a manual process from before.
There were very few defences and very little interconnectivity.
Bronze Age Society (3,000 BC)
The bronze age is defined by the advent of the use of
bronze as the primary material for tools and weapons. It took nearly 7,000 years. Society developed cities, and the primary
government was the city state.
Improvements in efficient trade and commerce were limited by slow
communication and lack of coordination.
When necessary armies were raised from farmers.
Bronze Age IT (1975)
The IT bronze age is defined by the advent of the use of
microprocessors as the primary building block for computers. It was 200x faster, and took only 35
years. Engineers developed CPU designs,
and the primary way of using them were via open documentation. Improvements in efficient trade and commerce
were limited by slow communication and lack of coordination. When necessary armies were raised from
enthusiasts.
Iron Age Society (1,000 BC)
The iron age is defined by the advent of the use of
steel. It took about 2,000 years. Society developed global empires and the
first gamers. The empires were defended
by standing armies, but eventually failed as the God-given right to rule
crumbled, and plagues ravaged the land.
Iron Age IT (1985)
The IT iron age is defined by the advent of the use of
desktop computers. It was also 200x
faster, and took only 10 years.
Engineers developed Microsoft and the first gamers. The companies were defended by standing
armies of lawyers, but eventually failed as the monopoly abuse caused them to
crumble, and computer viruses ravaged the land.
Middle Ages Society (500 AD)
After 1500 years, feudalism replaced nation-states and
monarchs ruled. Knowledge was
democratised, and the first open universities and printing technologies were
created. Pillage and piracy became a
real source of income. Walled castles
were built to keep the enemies out, but weren't effective because trade became
more important than protection.
Middle Ages IT (1993)
After 8 years, feudalism replaced monopolies and ideas
ruled. Computing was democratised, and
the public Internet was created. Pillage
and piracy became a real source of income.
Firewalls were created to keep the enemies out, but weren't effective because
commerce became more important than protection.
Industrial Age Society (1800 AD)
After 1300 years, coal and steam were developed as a new
source of power. Society moved from
monarchies to republics. Laws replaced
swords as the way of settling differences, and defences moved out to the state,
and in to the building level.
Industrial Age IT (1999)
After 6 years, high-speed broadband was developed as a
new source of power. Innovation moved
from established companies to start-ups.
EULAs replaced dongles as the way of protecting software, and defences
moved out to the ISP, and in to the host level.
We are now in the Social Stone Age. It seems unlikely that anyone will look back
to IT to see how it will turn out, so I'm sure that we will develop the same
societies, defences, attacks and innovations all over again!
Phil Kernick Chief Technology Officer
@philkernick www.cqr.com
Phil Kernick Chief Technology Officer
@philkernick www.cqr.com
