Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!texsun!csccat!egsner!montagar!davidc From: davidc@montagar.uucp (David L. Cathey) Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: Too much computing is detrimental Message-ID: <933@montagar.uucp> Date: 27 Jun 90 00:06:48 GMT References: <29256@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> Distribution: na Organization: Privately Owned System, Plano TX Lines: 29 In article <29256@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, polvino@acsu.buffalo.edu (joseph s polvino) writes: > I recently read an article written by John C. Dvorak in the June, 1990 issue > of _PC/Computing_ (p. 17) titled, "Civilization and Its PC Discontents." I > would like to expand on his ideas and add a few of my own. > > I truly believe that too much computing resources can have negative effects. > ... I think there is a lot of wasted uses of not just computers, but technology in general. Talking Coke machines? Musical greeting cards? I do agree that with the detrimental effect of computers. I've witnessed people spending hours getting a stupid little cutsie to work right when the time could have been spent better elsewhere. This does not only apply to "Where am I" messages, pictures, etc but also production code where the programmer does something cutsie just because it's "neat". Had the programmer used common system-supplied functions, the code would be much easier to support. Instead when it breaks or needs modification, it is re-written using common system-supplied functions resulting in more wasted time and effort. > > =============================================================================== > | Joseph S. Polvino | "More than anything, I hate | > | INTERNET: polvino@cs.buffalo.edu | Indian givers. No wait... | > | BITNET: polvino%cs.buffalo.edu@ubvm.bitnet | I take that back..." | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - David L. Cathey INET:davidc%montagar@egsner.cirr.com "Nurse, he's out of his room again!" UUCP:...!texbell!egsner!montagar!davidc