Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!rochester!cornell!batcomputer!pyramid!hplabs!hplabsz!taylor From: taylor@hplabsz.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.society Subject: Re: Why can't WE change society? Message-ID: <1116@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM> Date: Fri, 27-Nov-87 21:35:53 EST Article-I.D.: hplabsz.1116 Posted: Fri Nov 27 21:35:53 1987 Date-Received: Mon, 30-Nov-87 07:14:28 EST Sender: taylor@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM Organization: AT&T Information Systems Lines: 41 Approved: taylor@hplabs Joel Jennings writes: > Many things are done constructively, it's just that you are impatient > with people because they don't react as fast as interactive systems. > You just need some perspective (the study of history). You are correct here and in your examples, but I think Joel is interested more in the question of how communications networks such as USENET can be used to accelerate the process. Also, we need a more effective system to facilitate informed decision making on behalf of the whole society (Eric Drexler discusses this issue in _Engines_of_Creation_). > One more thing to note is that different people have different > perspectives of the world... Yes, this is a major reason that netnews is not a very good place to make decisions and further action. Concensus is impossible in such a diverse community. > Part of the problem is that not every one in the world is connected, nor > knows how to us computers. Yes, computer phobia is a problem, but this is going away quickly as young people grow up with computers. They will soon be as ubiquitous (more?) as the telephone is now. As for the network not being a database, you are right, but this is why I think the development of hypertext is so important. It will fix this problem. Also, this is another reason netnews is not good for this kind of thing. For a project to have continuity, someone must be responsible for keeping track of things. > We are making an impact on society. We are turning it upside down. So true, so true. Not only upside down, but inside out. Patience is necessary, but technology has already undergone a revolution. We need a similar revolution in our ability to incorperate change without destroying ourselves and our environment in the process. We must focus more on human beings that the actual technology. People *are* more important than machines. Bad interfaces are inefficient because they sacrifice the efficiency of the user. Gerry Gleason