Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!sdd.hp.com!decwrl!limbo!taylor
From: a1495@mindlink.UUCP (Terry Madsen)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: Too Much Computer is bad
Message-ID: <960@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Date: 7 Jul 90 16:40:32 GMT
Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
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Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com

> Well, I think that it is both good and bad.  Another example is e-mail.
> If you have e-mail within a company, it often times becomes to easy to
> send a message rather than speak to someone in person.  I have found

One advantage of e-mail is that it enables you to send non-urgent messages 
and inquiries without interrupting the recipient.  Programming for example 
requires about 10-15 minutes immersion time to get "into" whatever you are 
doing; if someone askes you for the time they have cost 15 min of working 
time (30 sec to respond plus immersion time).  E-mail eliminates this.  

The solution to E-mail wars is to put contentious issues at a high enough 
urgency level as to require face to face contact.  E-mail is no different 
from the old fashioned office memo in this respect, just fancier and easier 
to use (and misuse).

For a more detailed treatment of this, take a look at _Peopleware_ by Lister
and DeMarco --- well worth the price.

Terry Madsen