Tuesday, June 12, 2012

6/11-6/17 Post 2: Man-Computer Symbiosis


In the article, “Man-Computer Symbiosis,” J. C. R. Licklider has a good idea and hypothesis about intertwining humankind and computers. Seeing when this article was written, explains the language of the article and its dryness. As I was reading it, my mind often went astray trying to come up with something to say about the material. The first thing I thought of was about the timing of computer to problem solving and Licklider’s example of a battle. Today I think that scientists, engineers and technicians have overcome this obstacle because things can be performed instantly now. The second thing that triggered my interest was that of the computer’s memory and books. Computer’s can now hold ten times more memory and come in all different shapes and sizes. Licklider said, “Books…They will continue to be functionally important within the context of man-computer symbiosis." Books are rapidly decreasing in significance as all the information is on the internet and people are moving to the digital age. The last thing that came across my mind as I was reading this was that I seem to have a fairly negative connotation about all of this. I think that a lot of people do because of what the media has portrayed this topic to be. Movies and T.V. shows corrupt this wonderful idea turning the computer into a killing machine. Perhaps this is the media/government shying us away from the idea of this actually being able to work.

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