From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!utah-cs!arizona!70:rogerh Newsgroups: net.followup Title: Re: Computers \\& Society - (nf) Article-I.D.: az70.112 Posted: Wed Sep 22 17:33:40 1982 Received: Thu Sep 23 04:56:31 1982 References: pur-ee.558 The problem with the libertarian view (free competition) is that businesses don't like competition. They like to make money. Therefore you need an arbitrator (read government) to ensure that you get anything like competition happening. As to the central issue, computers and society: I agree with Seymour Papert that computers can be used two ways: to empower people (a *good thing*) and to control people (a *bad thing*). This corrrelates highly with the tools vs packages approaches. I use the computer in an improvisational manner, sticking programs together as the whim arises. Poor Shmuck, who bought a big accounting package from Foobar & Son, enters data exactly as the package demands and then chooses operation "a" or operation "b", or else gets bitten. The computer increases my freedom, decreases Shmuck's. Even worse: the computer convinces me that I have control over my world. It tells Shmuck that the world controls her. Solutions? Well, I think the spread of micros is hopeful. People won't (I hope) buy something that belittles them. Now if only there wasn't so much mediocrity for them to choose from... Roger Hayes University of Arizona