[67] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Computerspeak
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (KINGH%SNYSYRV1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE)
Thu Apr 23 13:06:57 1992
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1992 11:34:02 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: KINGH%SNYSYRV1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Institutions, universities, buildings do not "feel," people do. In someone's
opinion (feeling) investing over a million dollars in a system which could
not demonstrate measurable improvements in accuracy, productivity, and quality
as determined by a number of measurable criteria is a good investment. For
the past 10 years, computer manufacturers and software designers have been
proclaiming how much better we can perform using computers. They have avoided
quantitative predictions or promises. They (and we) have used such adjectives
as "richer," "intuitive," "easy," "power with the touch of a finger,"
"powerful," and many other adjectives that typically describe subjective
experience in listening to a symphony or meditating on a picture. And they
have charged us megabucksfor these systems which are supposed to transform
our lives, even our thinking. Evaluation and re-assessment of the positive
and negative impacts of computerization is long overdue. Until we can objective
ly measure the benefits of computerization, and weigh them against the costs,
we are easy marks for the next "miracle potion that will end all aches, pains,
and cure baldness."
I agree completely with T. Dowling that "rough use of the English
language muddies the issue and gets us nowhere." "The facts ... nothing but
the facts" will move us out of fantasies.
Hannah King
SUNY HSC Library at Syracuse
kingh@snysyrv1
kingh@vax.cs.hscsyr.edu
