Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!spool.mu.edu!agate!agate!dpassage From: dpassage@earthquake.Berkeley.EDU (David G. Paschich) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: CPSR vs. EFF Message-ID: Date: 30 Jun 91 09:11:36 GMT Article-I.D.: earthqua.DPASSAGE.91Jun30011137 References: <1991Jun27.051845.30495@wpi.WPI.EDU> <1991Jun28.142859.20500@spool.cs.wisc.edu> <1991Jun28.202810.1594@craycos.com> <1991Jun29.160107.6264@spool.cs.wisc.edu> Sender: usenet@agate.berkeley.edu (USENET Administrator) Organization: ucb Lines: 35 In-Reply-To: samuel@shemp.cs.wisc.edu's message of 29 Jun 91 16: 01:07 GMT In article <1991Jun29.160107.6264@spool.cs.wisc.edu> samuel@shemp.cs.wisc.edu (Samuel Bates) writes: JD = James Davies JD: What would you think if a steel industry group (SPSR?) took out an ad decrying JD: the use of steel in the gulf war? Would you think that it wasn't political? This is an interesting question, and I'm not sure how to answer it. My first feeling is to say that steel has been used in war for a long time now, while this is the first significant use of computers in war. Hence the decision to use steel in war was made long ago, and is no longer subject to debate; the use of computers in war _is_ still subject to debate. So if by 'political' you mean 'attempting to influence policy,' then I guess you are right; the ad was political. But it is not political in the sense that it supports specific political actions; it merely outlines some goals that CPSR thinks are worth supporting. These goals can be pursued by people of any political persuasion. It seems to me that debate should not center on whether or not to use computers in war; it should center on whether or not to have the war. The fact that a certain technology exists means that someone, somewhere, is going to get desperate enough to use it so long as certain countries maintain an oppressive relationship to other countries. It should be noted that the use of computers in weaponry doesn't necessarily make war more horrific. For example, the (widely propogandized, I admit) use of guided missile techology to stem the oil slick in the gulf started by the Iraqi army. -- David G. Paschich Open Computing Facility UC Berkeley dpassage@ocf.berkeley.edu Go Colorado Rockies -- Opening Day, Mile High Stadium, April 1993