We read the book chapter titled "Woz" by Steven Levy. The chapter told the story of Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Macintosh. This book chapter falls into the utopian category because it illustrates to the reader a success story of technology. Wozniak and Jobs, the other co-founder, were at the forefront of the technology industry. They are hugely significant in the history of the personal computer because it was really the first pre-assembled computer ready for public consumption. It was also the crossover point between the hacker culture and the technology industry in a major way. The final opinion was the point that the personal computer was the next new wave in technology and progress just like the telephone or the automobile. When you think about those two technologies you don't think about the negatives affects of their introduction right away, the first things that come to mind are the benefits that we gain from their presence. There are downfalls, but the general consensus is that they have improved our quality of life.
The other article that we read was "We Owe it All to the Hippies" by Stewart Brand that ran in TIME Magazine on Wednesday March 1, 1995. In this article Brand focuses on the redeeming and noteworthy characteristics of the technological movement. He says, "...a tiny contingent -- later called 'hackers' -- embraced computers and set about transforming them into tools of liberation" (1). He also emphasized the 'self-reliant' culture that surrounded the people involved in the forefront of the initial technology movement. They were creating these computers and programs initially for themselves it was a garage industry. He attributes that age with still continuing to provide creative ideas that push the industry forward. He also claims that the counterculture of the 60's has become inherent in technological culture "...where self-reliance leads, resilience follows, and where generosity leads and, prosperity follows" (3).