About AoT
This section—Alexis on Technology—contains the articles and essays that I have written over the years. Some of them are published in print; some remained in my notebooks and later on my computer’s hard disk. I have decided to post all of them here so that it could of use to somebody.
The human race’s use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food, and the invention of the wheel helped humans in traveling in and controlling their environment. Technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact on a global scale.
I have used the term technology very loosely. Dictionary.com defines technology as “the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.” I have used this definition as the basis for naming this section—Alexis on Technology.
Technology can be broadly defined as the entities, both material and immaterial, created by the application of mental and physical effort in order to achieve some value. In this usage, technology refers to tools and machines that may be used to solve real-world problems. It is a far-reaching term that may include simple tools, such as a crowbar or wooden spoon, or more complex machines, such as a space station or particle accelerator. Tools and machines need not be material. Virtual technology, such as computer software and business methods, falls under this category.
The word technology can also be used to refer to a collection of techniques. In this context, it is the current state of humanity’s knowledge of how to combine resources to produce desired products, to solve problems, fulfill needs, or satisfy wants. It includes technical methods, skills, processes, techniques, tools and raw materials. When combined with another term, such as “information technology” or “space technology”, it refers to the state of the respective field’s knowledge and tools, and “state-of-the-art technology” refers to the latest high technology available to humanity in any given field.
The topics treated in this section varies from careers to computing; industrial engineering to information systems; software development to career development; writing to copyediting; publishing to reading; typography to typesetting; studying to researching, Internet and WWW to information technology, to name a few.
I will be adding new articles and essays and also posting the older ones that I have as hard copies. If you like to comment on an essay, please send me an e-mail with your name and details to me by clicking on the Contact link in the right column. I have temporarily disabled the comment feature to prevent spam.
For enable easy access to the articles I have provided two set of contents—Category-wise Listing and Chronological Listing.
I hope you enjoy the articles and essays and gain something from them.
Wishing to all the very best,
Alexis