Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!cornell!batcomputer!pyramid!hplabs!hplabsz!taylor From: glg@sfsup.UUCP (Gerry Gleason) Newsgroups: comp.society Subject: Re: Why can't WE change society? Message-ID: <1213@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM> Date: 14 Dec 87 19:02:31 GMT Sender: taylor@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM Organization: AT&T Information Systems Lines: 22 Approved: taylor@hplabs With regard to Eric Drexler and _Engines_of_Creation_, I don't agree with everything he writes either, but I do recommend reading his book. It probably seems that his claims are more extreme in shorter articles, etc. In the book he does outline some possibilities that are pretty outlandish, but he backs them up with clear arguments, and often softens some of them by pointing out the uncertainties involved. Even if you do not agree, it is worth reading. As far as `computer phobia', yes, some will continue to fear them, but they grow old and eventually die. The next generation whose parents grew up with computers will not even remember that they were once so feared by so many. Quickly, well maybe not that quickly, but what is a few generations relative to history or a possibly open future? Finally, I may be overinflating the importance of Hypertext (etc), but this is only transitory. We need to design future systems today. You point out yourself that change is accelerating. We cannot wait until the systems arrive before begining to consider their impact, and taking steps to direct technology in a direction that serves us rather than allowing it to pull us down a path we have no control over. Gerry Gleason