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From: rogue@cellar.UUCP (Rache McGregor)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: CPSR vs. EFF
Message-ID: <JP0a51w164w@cellar.UUCP>
Date: 29 Jun 91 16:16:06 GMT
References: <1991Jun28.202810.1594@craycos.com>
Sender: bbs@cellar.UUCP (The Cellar BBS)
Organization: The Cellar BBS and public access system
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jrbd@craycos.com (James Davies) writes:

> 
> "not generally directed"?  Do you really believe that the majority of
> computer technology is being used by the military these days?
> 
> I interpreted the CPSR ad as strictly a political statement, on a topic which
> has no relevance to computers.  After all, do you really think that this
> war was caused by technology?  I thought it was caused by Iraq's invasion
> of Kuwait...
> 
> What would you think if a steel industry group (SPSR?) took out an ad decryin
> the use of steel in the gulf war?  Would you think that it wasn't political?

   The majority of compouter technology is used by corporate and individual 
consumers.  However, the majority of research and development in computer 
technology is not funded by the private sector, but by the Defense Department 
and the Department of Energy (whose primary function is to operate and 
research nuclear reactors for the DoD's use).

The CPSR ad is a political statement, as would be a statement released by a 
group called Computer Professionals for Flamaing Carnage, telling how 
wonderful wars were and how glad they were that computers and chip technology 
could increase the destructive potential of old-fashioned weapons and make 
new ones possible.

The wars in the Gulf and Panama were not caused by technology, they were 
merely assisted by technology.  The purpose of technology *is* to assist 
human beings - that's what we design machines to do.  But humans are also 
responsible for how they are used.  I agree with CPSR's position that if a 
person is a paciist, it's not enough not to fight a war - they also should 
not be designing weapons.

And regarding the steel:computers analogy,

1) Unlike computers, steel cannot be programmed to make decisions and take
   action based on those decisions.

2) Like steel, computers have no consciences.

Rachel K. McGregor            : Let the fire be your friend : Call the
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