Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!bellcore!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!webber
From: webber@aramis.rutgers.edu (Bob Webber)
Newsgroups: news.misc
Subject: Re: Netnews, USENET's composition, and "real" newswires
Message-ID: <Jul.22.21.13.55.1988.22377@aramis.rutgers.edu>
Date: 23 Jul 88 01:13:55 GMT
References: <465@nbc1.UUCP> <8898@netsys.UUCP> <4242@pasteur.Berkeley.Edu> <847@ccnysci.UUCP>
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 30

In article <847@ccnysci.UUCP>, dan@ccnysci.UUCP (Dan Schlitt) writes:
> In article <Jul.12.13.34.08.1988.25647@aramis.rutgers.edu> webber@aramis.rutgers.edu (Bob Webber) writes:
> >In article <844@ccnysci.UUCP<, dan@ccnysci.UUCP (Dan Schlitt) writes:
< << In a technophobic society I think that this sort of activity is a
< << professional responsibility.  It is too bad that almost the only
< << contact elected officials, journalists, and the like have with
< << technical folk is when we are promoting something.
< <
< <You mean like when we are trying to make sure that they understand
< <that the computer is their friend?
< 
< No BOB.  It is too late for that.  Management at most newspapers has 
< decided to get rid of typewriters and use computer terminals instead.
< They understand all about "the computer is down" and "I just lost the
< only copy of the story I was writing".
< 
< They need help in distinguishing the hype from reality.  Do you relly
< object to that?

I object to the the notion that computer ``professionals'' are any better
at distinquishing hype from ``reality'' than random users.  I object
to the notion that you can really get someone to understand what they
are letting themselves in for when they use a computer without giving
them a level of training comparable to that of a computer ``professional.''
I object to the usage of computers by people without such training just
as I object to the usage of airplanes by people who have not been licensed
in flying or the usage of cars by people who have not been licensed in
driving.  

------- BOB (webber@athos.rutgers.edu ; rutgers!athos.rutgers.edu!webber)