Academic resources - THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION

By: Mr Oscar Ifeanyi I. 

The Digital Revolution refers to the advancement of technology from analog electronic and mechanical devices to the digital technology available today. The era started during the 1980s and is ongoing. The Digital Revolution also marks the beginning of the Information Era.

HISTORICAL TIME LINE OF THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION

The development and advancement of digital technologies started with one fundamental idea: The Internet. Here is a brief timeline of how the Digital Revolution progressed:

1947-1979 The transistor, which was introduced in 1947, paved the way for the development of advanced digital computers. THE US government, military and other organizations made use of computer systems during the 1950s and 1960s. This research eventually led to the creation of the World Wide Web.

1980s - The computer became a familiar machine and by the end of the decade, being able to use one became a necessity for many jobs in developed countries. The first cellphone was also introduced during this decade.

1990s - By 1992, the World Wide Web had been introduced, and by 1996 the Internet became a normal part of most business operations. By the late 1990s, the Internet became a part of everyday life for almost half of the American population and other developed countries.

2000s - By this decade, the Digital Revolution had begun to spread all over the developing world (including African countries); mobile phones were commonly seen, the number of Internet users continued to grow, and television started to transition from using analog to digital signals.

2010 and beyond - By this decade, Internet users make up more than 25 percent of the world's population. Mobile communication has also become very important, as nearly 70 percent of the world's population owns a mobile phone. The connection between Internet websites and mobile gadgets has become a standard in communication. The innovation of tablet computers (e.g android devices, apple iPhone and ipad, etc) has surpassed personal computers with the use of the Internet and the use of cloud computing services at an all-time high. This has allowed users to consume media and use business applications on their mobile devices.