Digitization: History, Disadvantages And Benefits
Digitization means the conversion from analog to digital. For example, when an old photo that was taken with an analog camera is photographed with a smartphone or scanned, it is digitized. It’s hard to imagine today’s world without digitization. Nowadays, networking is even more important than ever before. Yet digitization did not start in the 21st century but began much earlier. In addition to the many advantages that a digitized world brings, there are also a few disadvantages that need to be considered.
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When did digitization begin?
The history of digitization actually begins as early as the 1930s and 1940s. The binary system, consisting of ones and zeros, was the basis for the first computer. It was 1937 when the revolution began. “Z1” was the name of one of the first computers based on the binary system, developed by Konrad Zuse. Compared to Zuse’s “Z1”, the American ENIAC which was developed in 1944 really looked like a computer. However, the inner workings of the binary calculating machines still consisted of tubes and relays. They were also gigantic in size; the ENIAC, for example, measured 10 by 17 meters which is not very handy. The first “computer” to use transistors instead of tubes was the TRADIC, developed in the USA. It was also much smaller and had only the size of about three refrigerators. But from the 1950s, the computer revolution was unstoppable and the technology advanced unceasingly. The speed of the devices increased steadily and so did the amount of data they could process. Additionally, they became smaller. The development of digitalization took an enormous leap in the 1980s with the first home computers. First and foremost, it was the Commodore that made a name for itself, but Atari and Amiga also followed suit, revolutionizing the world because finally almost everyone could dive into the digital world in their living room at home.
Disadvantages of digitalization
One of the central themes certainly is data security and the prevention of cyberattacks. The security of one’s own data and the risk of cyberattacks or data loss are often listed as disadvantages of digitization. It is therefore important to protect valuable company data from deliberate attacks on the one hand and from unintentional loss on the other. In addition to securing the systems externally, this also includes an appropriate authorization system for internal systems for the company’s own employees and a backup strategy to protect against unintentional data loss. Furthermore, the monopoly-like position of tech companies like Google also creates a certain dependency. This means that all users of these services must also play by their rules. Google determines, for example, who can be found via its search engine. In individual cases, this can create a real digitization disadvantage, since the decisions of these corporations are not completely transparent. Another disadvantage is data protection which is not always perfectly working. Especially for larger transactions, such as booking vacations or online casinos, a customer’s personal and account data should be protected. The fear of data misuse is also a major reason why some people fear using online casinos. Those who are looking for a reputable online casino that puts player protection first and also provides a large game selection, attractive conditions, and bonus offers can use free comparison portals for help. These offer an overview of the best-tested online casinos so that everyone can quickly and easily find the best online operator where you can enjoy online slots for real money.
Advantages of digitization
Of course, digitization has a number of advantages that justify the rapid progress of the process and its application in all areas of life. Digitization makes many things easier. This is enabled by digital tools for increasing productivity and optimizing in-house processes. The topic of knowledge transfer is also picking up speed with digitization. It has never been easier to capture valuable information for everyone involved – regardless whether they are sitting in the office, school, university or home office. Furthermore, digitization created a completely new consumer behavior in the first place. Online shopping and payment, booking vacations, playing video games online and so much more would be inconceivable without digitization. The many other reasons, such as better educational opportunities and simplified living through smart homes and so on, also show that digitization has brought the world forward enormously despite its disadvantages.
