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From: laba-4hh@web-4g.berkeley.edu (Edwin Sapugay)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: National Computer Net: Request for Information
Keywords: Network vs. T.V.
Message-ID: <24227@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 10 May 89 06:52:29 GMT
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Sender: usenet@agate.BERKELEY.EDU
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	O.K. we're all busy and nobody's got time to read a long posting
so I'll keep this short.

	The gist of what I want to say is that television as a form of
entertainment will soon be replaced by something much better.  What could
possibly take T.V.'s place?  How about the very thing your reading right
now, the computer bulletin-board? Think about it, on television you get to see
the creations of a very small group of writers.  Here you can see the 
products of thousands of creative minds all competing to make what they
write worthy of your time.

	Obviously, THIS news service isn't as yet quite up to the task of 
replacing television, as the written word lags behind pictures in 
entertainment value.  But imagine the near future:  imagine a bulletin
board service which can handle not only words, but PICTURES and SOUND,
eventually even motion pictures.  (Sure, such a system will take a LOT
of memory, but let me try to convince you that it will all be worthwhile.)

	Consider that one of the major complaints of all artists
(including poets, writers, painters, etc.)  throughout history has
been that it is often difficult and sometimes impossible to get one's
work displayed to enough people, and without that display one can never
gain the recognition one needs to survive.  Writer's desks tend to be
full of rejection slips and musicians spend hours listening to producers
who tell them that there's no market for the kind of music the musician wants
to make.  Consider also that we all know that most of the time the producers
and the publishers don't know what they're talking about.  (Remember how
many producers turned down the Beatles?)

	But with a proper extension of the computer bulletin-board system
everyone with a terminal can post their writings to the net.  And when
the technology is up to it they can add their drawings, their music and 
eventually, after MANY technical innovations, their movies.  Even what
can't be put on the net (such as sculptures, etc.) can be represented by
digitized images, so that people can get a look at what the artist can
do and decide whether the individual's talent merits further attention.

	Additionally, with the kind of system I'm suggesting, everything
could be organized.  People can go directly to what they want to see or
hear and not be bothered by people with different tastes.  (This would
essentially be done by the addition of thousands of new topic headings.)
This would be much better than the current Hollywood movie system which
produces a few dozen movies a year, most aimed at the largest possible
segment of the population.  Which generally means that in the current
system if you don't like what the majority likes you're out of luck.

	So, in keeping with my stated goal of brevity I'll sum up: 
Advancements in the computer bulletin-board would allow more access to
the public for artists and access to more artists for the public.  With
the net result of providing better entertainment for all.  (And the additional
result of making T.V. look second rate.)
	And who knows, maybe in twenty years people like Poe and Beethoven
won't have to wait until after they die to get recognition.


------
Disclaimer:  My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinions of
the University of California at Berkeley or any other organization.
Additionally, no criticism of any individual or organization was intended.

-- Brian K. Retke
(I can be reached at laba-4hh@web.berkeley.edu)