Webtv -Reply

[Dan Lester]

>>> Melissa Silvestre <silvest at umslvma.umsl.edu>
01/13/97 06:01pm >>>
The "entry" fee in intellectual terms has dropped
significantly as well.
That is, you now have a tool by which people who
know nothing at all about computers can access and
participate in a *computer network*.
-------------------
I've no problem with that.  One of the key points about
the internet that is regularly published is that it is an
equalizer among the sexes, the races, etc.  I think that
point has been overhyped, but it has a fair amount of
validity.
==============================

That may be good, but I can imagine all kinds of
problems, starting with the breakdown of the netiquette
tradition.
---------------------------------
Netiquette has been breaking down since it first
started.  Same has always been true in published
(printed) format too.  There have always been
"throwaway rags" or "underground papers".  And of
course there have always been such people in our
society.  And there will always be.  It is hardly new
when you read "Blessed are the poor, for they shall be
with you"  and all other categories could also be
included, from the "chariotgeeks" to the "net geeks",
the HS kids to the college sophomores.
================================

People who don't understand anything at all about
computers are unlikely to respect social rules based
on such principles as not wasting "bandwidth" or other
users' and hosts' "cpu cycles".
-------------------------------
With enough raw power and other resources those
don't matter much.  If you'll never run out of affordable
fuel, who cares if you get 3 mpg?  Just buy a bigger
tank for the beast.  
=======================
It's not practical, but it might be nice to imagine
requiring a
"driver's license" on the "information superhighway".
Up until now, the "license" was the minimal training
necessary to operate some kind of computer, whether
a pc or mainframe account on a dumb terminal. It
wasn't much, but it was something.
-----------------------------
Well, indeed, it was damn little.  Having a driver's
license on the highways doesn't mean you know how
to overhaul your engine, or even change your oil. 
Autos underwent the same change....as you had to be
a mechanic to have one in 1905 or 1915, but don't
now.  Those of us who qualify as "old farts" can think
back to when we got our first mainframe account in
the fifties and were taught next to nothing about it.  Any
different now?  Not much.  

And I know that some countries require licensing of
radio and/or TV receiving equipment.  In some
countries that is to provide income for the government,
the BBC or equivalent, etc.  In others it is part of
government control of communications because of a
(usually) repressive government.  I don't think there's a
chance of it happening in the USA, if for no other
reason than there is already too much tradition of
freedom on the nets.  

Sure, instead of some 70K list processors and
newsgroups on all sorts of topics there will be
200K....but so what? Is that different from anything
else in our libraries?  Nope.  

WebTV will come for a while...but it'll be replaced by
something, perhaps the long vaunted "scholar's
workstation" or more likely the "WebOMatic", sort of
like the VegOMatic.  As to people watching TV
collectively, they'll also watch the web collectively. 
Many will play games, like they do now on computers
or game boxes.  Others will share information....there
are certainly a zillion webpages that we all want to
share with others....the coolest, funniest, flashiest,
whatever.  We tell others about them for reasons other
than quality.  For example, take a look at
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/      o-)   Actually it
is quite instructional as well as a great deal of
individual or collective fun.  Sure, they'll still fight over
rights to the remote, just like on TV now.  Again,
nothing new.

dan