Aucbvax.2337
fa.works
utzoo!duke!decvax!ucbvax!works
Sat Jul 18 01:44:10 1981
Re: Making paper go away
>From Joe.Newcomer@CMU-10A Sat Jul 18 01:37:03 1981
Actually, your example is quite amusing. We were recently at a
conference at Pajaro Dunes. One of our participants was walking
along the beach during one of the interludes, and left his book
on the beach while he went into the water. When he came out, he
found that someone had stolen his book.
Yes, paper is more effective for some things RIGHT NOW. While I
don't believe automating blindly is a good idea, for most values
of use of paper I would prefer to use a computer. Even if I
produce hardcopy so it can be carried around, read on beaches and
busses, etc., I prefer to produce it via the computer. There are
lots of cases where paper is more convenient ONLY because of limi-
tations of the computer (e.g., 9600 baud slow lines). And when
computers will cost only $8.95 (or free with a deposit of $500),
there will be far less reason to walk off with one. We have to
quit thinking as if computers will always be expensive, and decide
what we can do with them when they are not. In fact, assume the
cost of the computer is ZERO. Now, what would you LIKE to do with
a computer? What capabilities should it possess at the interface?
Assume a communication cost of ZERO. How would you like to commu-
nicate with other computers? Now, at any given instant we have
to temper these ideas by the rather nasty fact that computers and
communications really do cost money. But that should NOT limit
our imaginations. A Dorado is a good example of what happens if
you let ideas not be limited by technology, and technology comes
along. Things which were unbelievably bad to run on an Alto run
just fine on a Dorado.
Don't tell me automating everything is bad. I don't believe it.
Automating everything INCORRECTLY is bad. I'd rather worry about
how to do it right, even if right isn't possible, than to not
think about the problem because this year's technology can't
support it.
joe
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