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Introduction: The Substitution of Human Faculties with Technology: Early Tools |
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The development of modern technologies, led by men's curiosity and inquiring mind as well as the desire to facilitate work processes has a long and complex history.
Already in prehistoric times tools made of stone were developed to expand men's physical power. In the following millenniums simple mechanical devices and machines such as the wheel, the lever and the pulley were invented. The next step was the development of powered machines. For example, windmills, waterwheels and simple steam-driven devices.
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Censorship of Online Content in China
During the Tian-an men massacre reports and photos transmitted by fax machines gave notice of what was happening only with a short delay. The Chinese government has learned his lesson well and "regulated" Internet access from the beginning. All Internet traffic to and out of China passes through a few  gateways, a few entry-points, thus making censorship a relatively easy task. Screened out are web sites of organizations and media which express dissident viewpoints: Taiwan's  Democratic Progress Party and Independence Party, The New York Times, CNN, and sites dealing with Tibetan independence and human rights issues.
Users are expected not to "harm" China's national interests and therefore have to apply for permission of Internet access; Web pages have to be approved before being published on the Net. For the development of measures to monitor and control Chinese content providers, China's state police has joined forces with the MIT.
For further information on Internet censorship, see Human Rights Watch, World Report 1999.
 http://www.dpp.org/
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.hrw.org/worldreport99/special/inte...
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