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From: FFM%mit-mc@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: more computer education
Message-ID: <2965@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 10-Jul-83 08:23:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2965
Posted: Sun Jul 10 08:23:00 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Jul-83 06:02:41 EDT
Lines: 49

From:  Steve Kudlak 


I must flame just a little!!! Why do we always here what seems to be 
these obligatory statements about "obsession with computers" and yet
no one moans how bodybuilders have an obsession with muscles; sports
people have not only an obsession with sports but most of the time
with a whole worldview that emphasizes competion over cooperation,
cultivates the "us and them" way of seeing things and much much more.

The obsessions of MBAs and the business community are legion and much
more widespread in comparison to computer people. They dress up in funny
wierd outfits (from my point of view) and will often refuse to accept
anyone who is not dressed in the same funny wierd outfits. People make
beaucoup bucks by writing books telling people how to do thier funny
wierd outfits so that they have a better chance of success. The funny
wierd outfit we are told must be done exactly right, and can only be 
in a very narrow range of styles and colors and if you don't it right
it is a real disaster...And these people are not obsessed!!??

Furthermore it belies a fundamental misunderstanding of the use of
computers to compare them continually to videogames. Most of the uses
of computers are a great deal different from videogames. To imply that
skills in using a computer are the same as those used to play videogames
is so mistaken that it is not funny. 

What bothers me is that these miscopnceptions seem to have persisted
for so long. Either people have done a very bad job of clarifying what
uses computers have, and how they could be used, or perhaps there is some
real emotional technophobia that is still operating or perhaps both.

It seems to me that this gibberish and garbage and paranoia has to be
cleared away in order that computer education can proceed in a reasonably
pleasent manner. After all it would be a real drag to try to teach someone
how to use a typewriter, a camera or a car if they were vaguely and intensely
afraid of them.

If these fears could be ameilorated(sp??) and the potentials and limits
of computers could be understood neither as vague terrors nor as panaceas
then perhaps we could begin to have a true and beneficial computer education.


Enuff flames...
Have fun
Sends Steve

P.S. Is there anyway to respond to these wire stories??
     If one has comments or rebuttals or kudos for a story
     is there any easy way of communicating this to the author.