Reccommended reading for research paper help (please read)

Hi, all.
I'm John, a first time poster.
I'm writing a research paper for my college English class, analyzing a speculative future novel called Feed by M.T. Anderson, focusing my essay on how technology and computer literacy evolved in our world to judge how realistic it is.
I want to make it clear I'm not asking anyone to do my homework, in fact it might even be better if you haven't read the novel, I just want to know enough about the evolution of computers to judge Anderson's predictions as either psychic or moronic.
I'd appreciate if someone could point me in the direction of some reading as to how computers became more and more widespread and common, people became more computer literate, functions became less complicated due to having a wider audience/trying to reach a wider audience, when asking for an email became as common as a phone number, when businesses first began to advertise on the web, etc.
Don't hesitate to mention a variety of OSs and how they helped each other evolve in competition. Don't shy away from Linux, DOS, etc. One thing I definitely noticed in the book was a lack of diversity in their hardware.
How widespread do you think programming knowledge is now compared to where it began, or where do you think it will be? I predict people eventually knowing their computers by the back of their hand and schools encouraging programming in the near future. School in the book is much more satirical, mostly focusing on teaching the students to be better shoppers. When I was in high school I encountered a lot of people who didn't know how to extract zip files, but see some html knowledge becoming a bit more common the more widespread tumblr becomes, maybe around 1 in 20 people.
Anyway, I hope I've described what I'm looking for well enough for someone to point me in the direction of some good introductory research materials.
Thanks in advance everybody.
Peace.

 

You have a huge job on hand!

Visit Wikipedia. Even if the article is not what you're looking for, it contains hundreds of links and references.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computers

 

The vast majority of people I encounter know how to push the power button, maybe install software, and click on icons. A small percentage understand WiFi, and connecting devices such as printers. Even less can actually connect a NAS drive and use it on their home network. A grasp of malware and how it functions is even less prevalent.

Though our technology has advanced greatly, so has our population. I have found that the percentage of those who can service or design it has not increased as exponentially. It must be said that our society does have an obsession with efficiency and entertainment. IMHO, those are two principal drivers for the advancement of technology. Efficiency in the workplace means more productivity and less waste. Efficiency in the home means doing laundry in two hours, with the machines basically unattended. There was a time when such a task required one's full attention, and half the day. Advances in technology have led to CGI, and 3D entertainment.

Looking through history, technology and tools are something that humanity has always consistently courted and advanced. As our efficiency increases, so will the pace at which our technology advances. But, remember that we do have a finite set of tools and one day we will find a level which cannot be exceeded. Also remember that what we do have is more fragile than most anyone realizes.

The larger question is not only what will we do when we find that ceiling, but what will we be capable of doing...

 

Some good info on different topics related to computers and uses by year and category here. This link is for exhibits. You can back up to the index for even more info.

http://www.computerhistory.org/exhibits/