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From: taylor@hplabsc.UUCP (Dave Taylor)
Newsgroups: mod.comp-soc
Subject: Computer Networks and Literacy
Message-ID: <882@hplabsc.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Nov-86 02:20:08 EST
Article-I.D.: hplabsc.882
Posted: Wed Nov 19 02:20:08 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Nov-86 09:22:57 EST
Reply-To: pyramid!prls!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
Lines: 25
Approved: taylor@hplabs

This article is from <philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka>
 and was received on  Tue Nov 18 13:42:44 1986
 
It has been widely noted that our society seems to be moving away from
literacy, to a more voice and picture oriented way of doing things.
Television and radio have replaced newspapers as most people's main source
of news, and the phone call has replaced the letter as the communications
medium of choice with those not immediately present.

Computer networks provide one small area where the trend is currently in the
other direction.  The question which occurred to me the other day is, is
this trend sufficient to eventually provide a genuine large-scale rebirth of
literacy?  Will nets as we know them ever reach a substantial fraction of
the population?

I am forced to conclude that the answer is no.  The problem is one of the
rate of technological development.  I believe that within a a few decades,
voice and graphics will take over in this arena, as well.  This is not long
enough for the networks as a written medium to become a really large factor,
even assuming this would happen given enough time.

So enjoy it while you can.  The future promises new and different wonders.

Frank Adams                           ihnp4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
Multimate International    52 Oakland Ave North    E. Hartford, CT 06108