Directions

So a couple of times in class discussions the issue of who in US society owns what kind of computer has come up. In particular, what is own as 'personnel' computation devices by whom. I would like you to use the web and any other sources you come across to discuss the questions/issues listed below. Note, if you find 'good' references, please share them with the class list.

• All levels of American society maintain similar home/personal computer environments.
• Hardwarewise, Dell provides less then 25% of all home PCs purchased.
• Home/personal computer systems are used 'primarily' to calculate questions in Astro Physics.
• "...if you are designing a new approach to software, how radical can you afford to be?"
• "Worse still, a price of having a community of users is that there is a demand for compatibility between one version and the next, thus perpetuating mistakes."
• Especially for those in the UI Course, "in HCI, the siren has introduced the general interface that can be customised to cover everyone from beginner to expert."
• Researchers may, on the one hand, adopt the maxim that the user is always right. On the other hand, the researchers may take the somewhat arrogant view that their role is to educate the users."

Mike Erlinger