Dr Richard Barbrook

Yesterday Dr Richard Barbrook gave us a speak on his book, “Imaginary Futures: From Thinking Machines to Global Village”. Found this really interesting how technology we use everyday such as the internet was military funded in the early days, both as a way of contacting other people in the military as a warning of nuclear bombs, how computer were designed to program nuclear bombs. Found it interesting how he talked about the nuclear fusion reactor in the 60’s and how the US government said it was going to be a way forward in electricity as it would a cheap way of producing when in fact it was being funded by the US military and was part of the research and development in creating nuclear bombs. It was also really interesting how he was talking about how the US Government was competing with the USSR, to prove that they were the future and the took the idea of networking computers off the Russians, and how the went into Vietnam to prove a point. Overall I found this very interesting and the idea he had although controversial were backed up with good evidence and I would definitely consider buying his book.

~ by joshshard on November 15, 2007.