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From: osborn@nswitgould.oz.au (Tom Osborn)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: ``comp.society'' Circulation Audit
Message-ID: <1167@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM>
Date: Sat, 5-Dec-87 23:53:42 EST
Article-I.D.: hplabsz.1167
Posted: Sat Dec  5 23:53:42 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 10-Dec-87 23:50:07 EST
Sender: taylor@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM
Organization: The New South Wales Institute of Technology, Australia
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Approved: taylor@hplabs

I have concerns about the impact on University level education of the 
computing industry's needs (labour, advice, market manipulation, ...).
In Australia, as elsewhere, the formal, critical, broadbased components
of professional degree courses have been hacked away in the pursuit of 
national productivity.  Specific computing industry requirements for 
programmers and jargon-competent front-persons are more easily produced
(trained) than more solidly educated graduates.  Funds flow to more
'productive' courses so that ultimately, the typical graduate 'knows
all the words' and codes well, but seldom 'sees the point'.

Formal foundations, analytical and critical skills, broad background
and literacy/appreciation skills may not be necessary for the COBOL
programmer on an IBM 4381 (or whatever the name may be). However, not
everyone desires to start with, or remain in, such a job - but that is 
what they get trained for. NORMALISATION of our graduates can only have 
the following consequences:

	Lack of intelligent computer professional input at upper
	management levels in companies and organisations. The
	influence of accountants and economists needs balance.
	On one hand from those who can say what can be reasonably
	done, and on the other hand, from the judgement of well
	educated, clear-thinking professionals who don't reason
	by balance sheets;

	Psychological alienation of a well-paid but bored, competitive
	class of computer graduates. It often imagine computing jobs
	as like rows of battery hens;

	Reduction in the talent development of 'bright young men and
	women' who would otherwise contribute to R&D, Universities,
	commentators and general trouble-shooters;

	With a reduced importance placed on underlying reasons (and
	general abstract thought), ethical development must suffer.
	When a pragmatic education orients the graduate to 'get it
	done', internalised values of integrity and responsibility
	suffer (eg 'three assignments in one week' - none are done
	well and cheating is rife).

Of course the bottleneck of software maintenance and production reduces,
of course the competitiveness of the firms improves, at least in the short
term and as a zero-th order effect. In the long term and for wider ranging
effects, the consequences clearly need more thought and better planning 
even agreement. The whole world may well become a BANANA REPUBLIC yet.

I also feel that industry should take much more financial responsibility 
for education (especially in Australia) and with even less control over 
the decision making and planning. If further high level training alone 
is desired, then that should be paid for IN FULL (through some mechanism or 
other).  We should always keep in mind that the LACK of a strong, broad 
education is much more expensive than the cost of having one. Technical
skills ON TOP OF a good education will outperform and fail less often.

The Protestant Work Ethic may give you an industrious, loyal, aggressive
workforce, but what does it provide for adaptability, innovativeness, 
social conscience and integrity? 

Tomasso.   (Tom Osborn)