AHC: Earliest Possible Digital Revolution

I just realized I hosted a similar thread a couple years back; unfortunately, I took away the idea that early transistors (and subsequent earlier space race) would be enough, but that notion was shot down later.

Charles Babbage lives longer. Look up "The Difference Engine", by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling.

Come on, the dude lived to be 80. And I'll hold judgement on how realistic the novel is, but it sounds suspiciously steampunk...
 
And? Even if the stuff then was very rough, it took another 20 years before anyone came up with anything better.
 
I guess that more than the earlier development of digital technology (earlier transistors, teletype networks and radio control technology) it would be necessary increase the *need* for it: that people feel the need for faster data processing and more connected communication systems, at last at work...
 
I guess that more than the earlier development of digital technology (earlier transistors, teletype networks and radio control technology) it would be necessary increase the *need* for it: that people feel the need for faster data processing and more connected communication systems, at least at work...

Arguably, there's been such a hunger for more communication and data processing from the earliest days of the Industrial Revolution...
 
late PoDs here but what about

Xerox Alto and Star come to market at consumer /SME tolerable prices in the mid to late 1970s

IBM don't make the PC from COTS parts - meaning that the weaknesses of MS-DOS don't hamper the Personal computer market

Brit wank angle- Acorn's Archimedes series of computers becomes more popular internationally - alternatively have an Amiga / Atari ST wank scenario

so you've got graphical machines with on board networking earlier even if it is only appletalk and econet

you still need a faster /cheaper mobile and land line data transmission -landline wise something to push ISDN for domestic use binding the two lines to 128kbps which drops to 64k when the landline rings on one circuit -so you have much earlier 'always on' internet
 
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