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From: tony@VLSI.CS.WASHINGTON.EDU (Tony Marriott)
Newsgroups: mod.comp-soc
Subject: Re: More on Computer Literacy
Message-ID: <1653@hplabsc.HP.COM>
Date: Wed, 22-Apr-87 18:05:55 EST
Article-I.D.: hplabsc.1653
Posted: Wed Apr 22 18:05:55 1987
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Steve Barber's article points out many shortcomings of the communication
"habit" as we might call it.  In this article, he describes how he attended
a hackers' social responsibility seminar and saw a video on swedish 
co-management.  In the article, Steve states that they are apparently 
"light-years ahead" of us, and does not see any infrastructure for such
communication (i.e. 80% union enrollment) in this country.

My first response is social, I think, well the Swedish country is probably
very homogenous, if they are anything like the Icelanders (and here I quote
a tv news show) they are racist.  They maintain a status quo by their 
social institutions which is always fraying in this country due to the
tolerance for immigration and naturalization and also by a self-actualization
which is different historically and etc., etc.  

My second response is that Steve defines this activity to be a means by
which craftsmen and others (ha, computer literacy, I lost the quote by button
pushing!) may improve their efficiency.  So I wonder; is this good, and
wouldn't we all much rather be replaced by a good robot so that we can do
something important?  So,  my third response is:

What exactly was Steve discussing?  Is this metal work ?  (Sure, important
stuff, so we can have new cars.) Or is this activity (both the interacting
and the technology) relevant to jobs that aren't involved in machine and
assembly?  Do construction people have say in how the building goes up?
Do clerical people have say on how the claim is managed?  (Just how many
light years are we talking?)

But in light  of the fact that no examples were given, I am forced to ask,
What was he talking about?

Thanks!