Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!bu.edu!purdue!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!l.cc.purdue.edu!cik
From: cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Computers and brainpower
Summary: A help or a hindrance?
Message-ID: <2307@l.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 4 Jul 90 13:42:20 GMT
References: <1990Jul3.194348.21178@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> <9595@brazos.Rice.edu> <1990Jul4.105554.3880@diku.dk>
Organization: Purdue University Statistics Department
Lines: 22

In article <1990Jul4.105554.3880@diku.dk>, njk@diku.dk (Niels J|rgen Kruse) writes:
> cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes:
> 
> }I agree completely.  But in the next millenium, any intelligent
> }programmer will do better without working hard at these decisions
> }than an automaton.   Why are people in the computer field so
> }determined to get in the way of using brainpower?
>                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Basically, isn't that what the computer field is all about?

The legitimate purpose of a tool is to help the human.  But what is
happening is an almost deliberate attempt to make sure that the human
cannot use his ingenuity to come up with a better way than the hardware
or software designer has thought of.  The "it wasn't invented here" idea.

> Should we wonder why some people try to carry it too far?

No, but we should not let them get away with it.
-- 
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907
Phone: (317)494-6054
hrubin@l.cc.purdue.edu (Internet, bitnet)	{purdue,pur-ee}!l.cc!cik(UUCP)