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From: nessus@nsc.UUCP (Kchula-Rrit)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: time to use your brains
Message-ID: <1928@nsc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 30-Nov-84 20:08:04 EST
Article-I.D.: nsc.1928
Posted: Fri Nov 30 20:08:04 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Dec-84 02:45:52 EST
References: <1668@ucf-cs.UUCP> <677@gloria.UUCP> <657@loral.UUCP>
Organization: The Patriarchy of Kzin
Lines: 55

> Just a little theory...
> 
> Noticing how kids seem to take to computing readily, while adults approach
> them with all kinds of trepidation, I remember the movies and TV shows
> we saw through the fifties up to the early eighties that included computers.
> As I recall, computers in these presentations were always large mainframes,
> towering over white-frocked, intellectual types who spouted tech-gibberish
> while the ponderous racks behind them vibrated and roared, and myriads of
> lights pulsed (always, lots of lights)!
> 
> Even non-fiction presentations of computers tended to dramatize their
> power and complexity ("...and this machine here can perform nineteen
> zillion calculations every second, and make coffee at the same time, folks!")
> Little wonder then that many people flatly assumed that they were
> unfathomable wonders totally beyond any hope of comprehension, and that
> therefore, they are a threat of sorts.  It's a pretty fundamental human
> trait to fear things that cannot be understood and controlled.
> 
> Even when an obviously small and simple Apple, TRS-80, IBM or whatever
> (I have an original Altair, for those who remember that far back into
> history) sits before them on the table, the overwhelming stigma of the word
> "computer" creates some surprising blocks.
> 
> ...
> 
> Ray Simard

*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
     I must confess my image of a computer has been to a large extent like Ray
describes above.  The word "computer" brings to my mind an image of something
like a VAX, at a minimum, i.e. something used for "serious" work.  So when I
type music into my TI99/4A, I can't help laughing at the poor thing when it
plays my song because it seems so incongruous with my image.  That's one reason
I don't play Rogue(tm?) anymore.

     In one sense, I hope computers don't develop egos.  They may take me too
seriously.

                               Kchula-Rrit

P.S. I forgot this is net.flame so I must add one.  

Last time I posted something to net.flame I got some mail from someone
threatening to de-claw me!!!  He claimed that he was the REAL Patriarch of
Kzin, having fought his way up through the ranks of the Federation Navy.
I know of no "Federation" in my space, and besides the position is hereditary
(if not now, then starting with ME!).  Also, I know of no admiral Zarkon or
such.

When my mail message to him was sent back, I figured I would post to net.flame.
All flames will be posted to the net.
That felt good!

                               K-Rr