After doing some of the readings I began to think more deeply about how technology is developed and why the technologies we use today are the way they are. First order of business is obviously the bicycle; from designs to the ones we know today to the ordinary, big wheel bike, and back again. I understand the macho appeal of the big wheel bicycle and the social implications of such. I also began to think of what the intended use of the ordinary bicycle was. It seemed as if it was developed not necessarily to be practical, but to be a recreational device for people who desired a challenge. Once people began to recognize such an invention as a practical means of transportation is when the bicycle we know today became the norm.
Another interesting point that was brought up in the readings was that of Beta cassettes versus VHS. The little I know on the subject was that Beta was superior in picture quality compared to VHS however VHS won the bid to be in the homes of Americans. I began to think of a more recent phenomenon, that of HD DVD’s and Blue-Ray. I can remember that on a specific day it was decided that Blue-Ray had won the battle to be the new high definition medium. I do not know a lot about the actual workings of such a process. Who decides when one is the winner and the other is obsolete?
Kevin Overbeck
