[11172] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Clifford Lynch, Scientific American (March)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Public-Access Computer Systems For)
Mon Mar 31 20:33:57 1997
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 11:17:14 -0600 (CST)
From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
2 Messages; 101 Lines
*-----
From: Edward Summers <esummers@uiuc.edu>
Subject: Clifford Lynch, Scientific American (March) -- a NARROW view!
Jim Warren:
I heartily agree with your comments on the need to maintain freedom of
speech on the net in light of the growing commercial presence that is found
there.
However, I found your comments on "information haves & have nots" somewhat
disturbing, and perhaps misinformed:
you said:
"Except *possibly* for a few rural areas, I propose that there are FEW
"information have nots" ... except those who are "information WANT nots."
(Unless you are also equally concerned about the social gap between the
"drivers" and the "drive nots" -- about which we rarely see much
hand-ringing.) Why?
I like this thought provoking analogy Jim. But because there are
alternatives to personal car ownership such as public transportation,
rentals, taxis... I don't think it holds any water. As public libraries
gear up to provide Internet access, such alternatives will become more
apparent. But they are not readily available as yet.
you also said:
"* A used computer with modem can easily be had for less than the price of
one of the several TVs that are in most homes -- even the most desitute
homes.
* Learning to "drive" the net is an order-of-magnitude easier than, say,
learning to drive a car ... perhaps on the order of learning difficulty of
the byzantine welfare system, though with much less need to wander all over
town to grovel before bureaucracies."
There is certainly a growing abundance of used pcs on the market. However I
think you are minimizing the amount of background knowledge it takes to
successfully set up the software & hardware to navigate the net (especially
when you are dealing with used pcs!) We are not just talking about English
Language Literacy here (which has problems of its own) but computer literacy
as well--which is a particular problem for populations who did not grow up
playing arcade games, or did not receive adequate exposure to technologies
in their education. (see: "Lost in byteworld. (buying a computer requires
one to navigate a sea of jargon)" by Russell Baker. The New York Times,
March 15, 1997 v146 p19, col 6.)
It would be great to hear you razor sharp wit, and enthusiasm for freedom on
the net turned to the defense of the information have nots (that most
assuredly exist), instead of minimizing a very serious problem--especially
in light of the US Government's move towards publishing exclusively in an
electronic medium and leaving paper behind.
Best wishes,
Ed Summers
University of Illinois
see also:
"A pause in the revolution" by Alan McGowan. Environment. v. 38,
Dec. '96, p. inside front cover.
The lowdown on literacy. (literacy and poverty) (Dear Dr. Demo)
American Demographics, June 1994 v16 n6 p6(1)
*-----
From: "Theodore Morris 513-558-0177 - ted.morris@uc.edu"
<Theodore.Morris@UC.Edu>
Subject: Re: Clifford Lynch, Scientific American (March) -- a NARROW view!
Jim Warren noted, "Except *possibly* for a few rural areas, I propose
that there are FEW "information have nots" ... except those who are
'information WANT nots.'"
I think that, unfortunately, that's not a "few" rural areas but "most"
rural areas, even today. We don't tend to notice it, but even
"heavily" populated states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania are primarily
_rural_, with a few big cities separated by lots of wide open spaces
(and/or mountains, in the case of PA!). For example, just one or two
counties away from Cincinnati are areas that don't even have digital
dialing services, let alone internet service providers. I know that
one example here and there doesn't make an effective argument, but
nevertheless this is not as uncommon as those of us living in
metropolitan areas might think. It was quite a surprise to me when I
started working in electronic outreach services, how isolated one
could be while seemingly so close to areas of advanced telecomm
infrastructure.
---
Theodore Allan (Ted) Morris, University of Cincinnati Medical Center
Academic Information Technology and Libraries, 513-558-0177V, -2682F,
Theodore.Morris@UC.EDU, morrista@email.uc.edu, morris@ucunix.san.uc.edu,
http://ucunix.san.uc.edu/~morris, WB8VNV, "Hey, TED!"
...
Drexel University College of Information Science & Technology,
Philadelphia PA, sg94548n@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu
Quantity is what you can count; quality is what you can count on.
