Technology+Affects+the+Economy

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**Telephone cables connected personal computers to the Internet thought dial-up connection. (Source: FreeFoto)**

The launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik encouraged the U.S. government to create a system of networks to transport defense related information between defense contractors and university laboratories. Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA) transported information instantaneously and without the aid of human direction. Eventually the ARPA disbanded and became known as the DARPA Internet, it allowed separate networks to communicate and share information even if certain networks were not functioning. The Internet did not become as we know it today until the 1990’s. Not owned or created by one company or institution, the Internet uses telephone and satellite hookups in cooperation with separate networks using common software standards to allow anyone access to its information.
 * Navigating the Internet and learning how to use the personal computer required understanding minimal computer technology lingo, a process that sometimes was stressful for those who did not have patience. (Source: FreeFoto)**

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The 1990’s economy was greatly affected by the creation of the Internet which linked businesses and corporations worldwide. Globalization or “the process by which national economies, politics, cultures, and societies become integrated with those of other nations around the world” allowed the formation of multinational corporations. These corporations led to the global assembly line of producing goods that we are familiar with today. For example, you might order a shirt from aclothingstore.com. That request will be sent to The Clothing Store warehouse, in say, California via the Internet. The Clothing Store warehouse might be running low on your particular item so it must send a request for increased production of your shirt to its production factory in Venezuela. Your shirt will be packaged by the warehouse and information will be sent to the packaging plant in Arizona. Then the companies chosen shipping company will ship the shirt to your home in Pennsylvania. The majority of the information will be sent and stored via the Internet. The 1990’s brought about this transition in economic policies and usage of technology in everyday life.
 * (Source: Dogpile-Internet Shopping)**

Though the economy was recovering from the recession during the Reagan era, space research did not decline as the Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990 at an estimated 1.6 billion dollars cost. The Hubble Telescope allowed NASA to collect scientific data about the universe without the atmospheric interferences present when using a telescope from earth.

**The size of a school bus, the Hubble Space Telescope launched in April 1990. (Source: Official Hubble Site)** HUBBLE PHOTO ALBUM

For more hubble telescope photos go to: [|http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/]