Running head: MODERN COMPUTING
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MODERN COMPUTING
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Modern Computing
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Introduction
I switched on my computer, which is a hardware assemblage, protocols connected to my browser and I was able to type Amazon on the Google search engine known as an application software using windows 8 which is operating software. Algorithms a digital Actant acted on the computer to enable it find Amazon. I searched for kettles and algorithms acted on the Amazon site to bring up pictures of microwave so I can buy it. It is from this that realized ANT is increasingly becoming important in computing. According to Akera (2001, p.57). Actor –Network theory (ANT) is increasingly important among the information system researchers. In fact, the ANT is more rooted in the science and technology field study, each and every day being used for in-depth method of carrying out technology researches.
In computing, as well as other areas of research such as science, the ANT focuses on the connections existing between the made and remade human and non-human entities, helping us to understand and solve the issues at the stake (Armbrust, 2010, p.55). The paper therefore focuses on the discussion about how ANT has promoted the advancement in computing, finding the solutions about how the modern world can be improved.
Actor Network Theory
To understand the above mentioned concepts, it is essentially important to first define the meaning of the Actor Network Theory. According to Akera (2001, p.57) the ANT is a systematic framework method of considering the infrastructure surrounding the computing in the technological advancement. The concept of ANT originated from French scholars Michel Callon Bruno Latour in the years 1991 and 1992 (Armbrust, 2010, p.55). The discovery of the theory was the result of the efforts to understand the scientific knowledge and the technological advancement. Unlike other theories, the Actor-Network Theory emphasizes on the Actants rather than Actors. Actants is the term used to stress of the human actors and material clauses.
ANT looks at material clauses human actors as the determinants of the social outcomes. All the Actants, both human and non-human form a network through interaction in any process. The ANT therefore tends to stress more on the interaction of these Actants. According to the Callon, the Actants provides the scientists as well as technologist with the supporting data to base their arguments (Compton, 2006, p.73). Generally, these Actants can be categorized in the following categories: Human Actors, Material Actants, Cultural Actants, Hardware Actants, Software Actants and Structural Actants.
According to Hanseth (2004, p.2004), Human Actants are those actors that define how the material Actants are represented. Examples of human actors could be human producers, business owners and human consumers. The digital Actants are those Actants that take part in computing assemblage such as algorithms, protocols and cookies. Software Actants are the set of instructions that control the physical part of the computer (Hardware Actants). Structural Actants are social structures that have power to influence other Actants. Finally, the cultural Actants are those Actants that are inherited or shared and include behaviors, customs, believes, knowledge and values.
More importantly is to understand that, within the modern computing, each and every Actant discussed above must be acted or act upon by other Actant to fulfill the aim of assemblage. Generally, an ANT is formed by several Actants or entities to form an alliance that satisfy the aim of assemblage. During the process, an entity will look at the means of convincing each other entity (Hanseth, 2004, p.116). For instance, FBI as structural actant exerts power on apple another structural actant to allow access to iPhone a black box.The above understanding will help us to come realization about how the Actor Network Theory was applied in computing to discover the following technologies, the beetle-computer hybrid controlled by humans and miitomo social application.
Application of ANT in Beetle-Computer Hybrid controlled by humans
The Beetle-Computer Hybrid, a technology originating from researchers in Singapore involves making the beetle act like man-made robots. The technology invited to enroll several Actants in the assemblage to achieve the aim of using the Beetle and many other insects access the hidden places which cannot be accessed by human being. Ideally, the radio device would be mounted on the insect and then letting it navigates on its own or controlled by human. The technology therefore involves several entities and therefore can be described having used the ANT in the computing process.
One of the Actants used are the hardware Actants. The hardware Actants comprise of complex mechanical devices more importantly the ran electrodes and radio device. The electrodes are fixed in the first pair of legs to stimulate the movement and together with the radio device, the Beetle is controlled the human. This can be seen as a good interaction of the human and non-human Actants. As earlier explained, the human Actants controls other Actants, which in the case here.
Still, the movement and monitoring of the insect is possible through the use set of commands or instructions that tell the devices which role to perform. The commands are arranged in a specific sequence (algorithm) making it possible to control the Beetle. I other words, the assemblage cannot be completed without enrolling the software Actants. In this case, the hardware actants need software actants. Even so, the animal activists have come out strongly to criticize the technology of robotic-insect hybrid under the basis that the creatures experience pain, the argument which can be proved. The cultural Actants which include the behavior, emotions and believes must therefore be enrolled to complete the assemblage. The interaction of these Actants is illustrated below.
Assemblage of Actants
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· Application of ANT by Nintendo company in Miitomo app launching in the UK
The Miiitomo application, which allows the end users to socialize and share their ideas, can be described having made use of the ANT greatly. The application of the ANT ranges from computing the app to management of the app. The use of software can be described as the best method of enhancing the management and marketing process of the Nintendo Company. For instance, the Miitomo app (software) will be available in all the android phones (hardware Actant). This comes after the realization that most of the people use the android phones. Therefore, hardware actants need the software actants to complete the assemblage.
However, the critics have argued that the company is under emotional contagion after Samsung, Erickson and Nokia company beaten them in their technology of next-gen NX device, which is not known in the market. Nevertheless, according to Morozov (Techno-pessimist), for any business or innovation there must exist techno-pessimists. Nevertheless, the company is Techno-optimist that its technology will enhance more sharing of ideas (structural factor) , which is not available in other social networks such as facebook and twitter through use of “Mii.” The use of structural Actants will establish a good network in management and marketing (human Actants). Simply, humane actants needs the social actors to complete the assemblage. The Nicholar Carr (techno-optimist), believes that, generating idea to solve the problems in the society is one of the best selling idea, this might be a great move for the Nintendo Company. Generally, the software, hardware, human and structural Actants are the entities which cannot overlooked in assemblage of the Miitomo app by Nintendo Company.
Contemporary Debate
According to Tattnall (2005, P.75), many of the theorists such as Morozov have been in the front line to find the solution to the complexity of the computation process. As a result, many theories have been put forward but only the ANT proves to be the best method of computing as evident from the two computing stories provided above. One of the major reasons as to why other computing theories fall short is because; unlike ANT they do not provide method of computing. The ANT provides both theoretical and method of going through the process of computing in the computer science therefore becoming more relevant in the modern computing. The ANT cuts across the social-technological determinism which is evident from the initial stage of generating the technological idea to the last stage of marketing the technology.
With the ANT, the audience/customers, technologists and the businesspeople appear to play a very significant role throughout all the stages of computing, obvious because very many entities must be considered. The Actants, which form assemblage of network in computing, encourage the new tools (Actants) while facilitating a cohesive and diverse technological discourse. For instance, the computing Actants and their platforms/channels /algorithms are connected to form big data, the technology that increases the use and reliance of online activities. However, when navigating from the traditional theories to ANT, care should be taken to enhance the dignity, democracy and privacy, for it involves many Actants (Latour, 1997, 123). If these factors are not enhanced, they come out as the limitation of the ANT, more specifically in the Big Data.
Conclusion
It is from this that realized ANT is increasingly becoming important in computing From above provided computing stories it is evident that the computing process, even with ANT is becoming more complex each and every day, because many Actants must be incorporated to form an assemblage. However, the ANT has proved to be very important in computing to go hand-in-hand with the rapid changing world. However, when navigating from the traditional theories to ANT in computing, care should be taken to enhance the dignity, democracy and privacy, for it involves many Actants. If these factors are not enhanced, they come out as the limitation of the ANT.
Reference
Akera, A. and Nebeker, F., 2001. From 0 to 1: An authoritative history of modern computing.
Oxford University Press, Inc, pp.57-78.
Armbrust, M., Fox, A., Griffith, R., Joseph, A.D., Katz, R., Konwinski, A., Lee, G., Patterson,
D., Rabkin, A., Stoica, I. and Zaharia, M., 2010. A view of cloud
computing. Communications of the ACM, pp.50-58. Ceruzzi, P.E., 2003. A history of
modern computing. MIT press, pp 45-95
Garcia, P. and Compton, K., 2006, April. A reconfigurable hardware interface for a modern
computing system. In Field-Programmable Custom Computing Machines, 2007.
FCCM 2006. 15th Annual IEEE Symposium
on (pp. 73-84). IEEE.
Hanseth, O., Aanestad, M. and Berg, M., 2004. Guest editors’ introduction: Actor-network theory
and information systems. What’s so special?.Information Technology & People, 17(2),
pp.116-123.
Latour, B., 1997. The trouble with actor-network theory, pp. 122-123.
Tatnall, A. and Gilding, A., 2005. Actor-Network Theory in Information Systems
Research,pp.75-102.
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2016-03/31/beetle-computer-hybrid
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2016-03/29/nintendo-miitomo-launch-uk
Appendix A.
Assemblage of Actants
Software Actants
Algorithms
Instructions
Beetle-Computer Hybrid
Hardware Actants
Ran electrodes
Radio device
Cultural Actants
Believe
Emotions (pain)
Software Actants
Algorithms
Instructions
Hardware Actants
Ran electrodes
Radio device
Beetle-Computer Hybrid
Cultural Actants
Believe
Emotions (pain)
