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From: malcolm@keilir.UUCP (Malcolm Cohen)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: Why can't WE change society?
Message-ID: <1171@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM>
Date: Sun, 6-Dec-87 01:07:49 EST
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Posted: Sun Dec  6 01:07:49 1987
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Gerry Gleason writes:

>... netnews is ... such a diverse community.

No way.  Netnews is nowhere near as diverse as the "real world"; you know,
where the "real problems" are.  The people communicating on Usenet seem *very*
similar-minded to me.

> [someone else]
>> Part of the problem is that not every one in the world is connected, nor
>> knows how to us computers.

or *wants* to use computers...I am not talking about phobia here.

> ...the development of hypertext is so important.

No.  The development of hypertext is only of real interest to the educated
elite.  And only the technologically-minded ones at that.  Not everyone gets
their kicks from interacting with a terminal.  Television is so popular
*because* it requires no interaction (i.e. thought).  But television is not
watched by many people (3rd world etc).

> ...  We must focus more on human beings that the actual technology.

I couldn't agree more.

> ... Bad interfaces are inefficient because they sacrifice the efficiency
> of the user.

A typical computernik thing to say.  Bad interfaces are nasty simply because
they are so unpleasant.  The efficiency/inefficiency issue is not an issue for
non-computer people - if the computer is being nasty to them they'll not like
it (and if not required to use it they'll go and do something else).

Malcolm Cohen