3 Factors That Led to The Digital Revolution

in Technology

Many people credit the beginning of the digital revolution to the introduction of the first transistor in 1947. This device is said to have led to the development of advanced digital computers, which continue to be upgraded today. From that time onwards, it became the foundation on which digital innovation and revolution started. Today, its positive effects can be felt in every sector of the economy and accounted for £91.9 billion in revenue in 2019. Below are some other factors that led to the digital revolution.

Digitisation of information

According to history, the need to leave a digital footprint contributed to the revolution. When the first computer was developed in the 1950s, the creators immediately realised the huge potential of their invention. The ability to convert analogue to digital formats opened new doors for many more inventions. The digitisation of information also meant that people at the time could depend on the longevity of sensitive information. There was now a better alternative to keeping information on paper or other reliable materials at the time.

The trans-generational advantage of digitised information also meant that creators had a modern and dependable format to improve their inventions. With a binary system of zeros and ones, the foundational language of computers became the main element that pushed digitisation to the fore. Indeed, the benefits of digitisation can be noted in all areas of work and leisure. For instance, the digitisation of information led to the development of online payments, electronic bank transactions, reading this post online and not on papyrus, etc. It is also based on information digitisation that devices like the Olympus OMD EM10 camera have been upgraded to include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Increases and changes in consumer demands

The advent of the computer set the digital revolution in motion. However, the driving force turned out to be users or consumers. In the late 1970s, when many households began buying into the idea of personal computers, developers realised they had their job cut out for them. The market at the time suggested that people needed these first, through to fifth-generation devices. The market consisted of offices and households that could afford personal computers.

Although some wealthy homes had them as a status symbol, it quickly transcended that. Professionals and offices realised that these digital devices streamlined what used to be arduous tasks. For example, accounting and bookkeeping activities were easier to handle because they offered an easy way to solve mathematical problems. These early computers also helped with weather forecasting, space explorations, etc. The increased demand from all sectors contributed to what has become known as the digital revolution.

Invention and introduction of the world wide web

Many history books on digital technology believe that while the computer may have started the revolution, the web gave it the much-needed speed. The information era was catapulted even further when British inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, created the internet. At the time, the world wide web became the fuel and the driving force behind the digital revolution. Suddenly, computers became nothing without the web. The world saw that so much could be done with the world wide web, which ultimately led to the benefits you continue to see today.


Image Credits: Thomas Jensen

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