ComSoc Technology News (CTN) is a free, online monthly publication that publishes interesting, timely, and newsworthy articles that span a wide range of topics related to the communications technology industry. Our mission is to be an informational resource that brings diverse perspective and thought leadership, while providing a platform for lively discussion amongst our readers.

CTN is run by a team of volunteer editorial board members who are technical experts in diverse fields. All articles are reviewed and edited by a technical editor. The editor-in-chief performs the final review prior to publication. 

September 2022 Issue

Who Needs Flash Memory When We Have (Clay) Tablets? The Journey of Textual Communication Across Time

Since the beginning of time humans have strived to communicate with each other.  Historical finds show that early “humans” communicated using pictograms that over time evolved into ideograms. At around 3500 BC the first cuneiform writing was developed by the Sumerians, while the Egyptians developed hieroglyphic writing at around the same time.  Of course, there are many other forms of language and symbolic communication dating back tens of thousands of years that left no historical trace because of its nature.  The other interesting aspect is how this information was stored. As an example, clay tablets and paper have proved to be a very reliable form of storage albeit with very low capacity.   In this month’s article we take a detour from EM and IP and dive into a completely different topic related to textual communication.  Dr. Mortazavi uses his eclectic background to take us on an informative journey regarding texting across time.  “It rings odd to us today to think of writing as technology because writing has sedimented to the deep background of most currently extant human civilizations” he says.  Can writing be categorized as a technology and how has it evolved?   We hope you enjoy this historical ride and the perspectives he provides in this month’s article.

Miguel Dajer, CTN Editor-in-Chief

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