The Last 20 years!

It has been more than 20 years since I have seen the dawn of personal computers. It was start of 1980s, when as an electronics and Radio enthusiast, I read about those new personal computers which were using machine code language and assembly language. Several of these computers came into the market and competed with each other. But groundbreaking personal computer was Commodore Vic20 that brought user-friendliness and BASIC language to the home user. In UK, it was done by brilliant Sinclair ZX81 and ZXSpectrum machines. In the pocket-sized versions, it has always been CASIO which produced excellent palm top computers such as PB-700 with multi-line display. Then, It was 1984 and my NED university had Digital VAX mini-computer. We learned FORTRAN-IV language on the mini-computer that comprised of big machines and its printers were large and used to make a lot of noise.

The technology was not only developing in these personal computers, the hardware in the radio base stations and the telecom networks also improved and continuously shrinked. The MSCs that had four rows of racks for hardware vanished with few racks only. The boards were combined to form multi-function boards with faster processors. Mini-links became small and included dish antennas with the rubber waveguide made redundant. Software at the same time has taken huge leaps and now, we have planning and optimisation tools running using Oracle databases that have tremendous power than early tools. One of the most common GIS application is now Google Earth that everyone can download from the internet.

With all the development that is happening, there is something to observe. There are continuous changes in the skills that engineers need to have and the education that they need to get according to changing times and needs of the industry. In Pakistan, hardware and product development is not being done except in certain high profile government organisations. There is a dire need to develop this stream of engineers and industries where design and engineering of products is carried out including all phases of hardware and software to utilise our creative engineering skills to the best.

Posted on Zumbeel: November 2008