Is it an object of hate and scorn?

The computer is a plain vanilla box. In recent years say from 1980-1990 the computer has managed to be manufactured in greater numbers reaching the home and the apartment. The differences in location have meant many things to many people. No longer the gifted child of the science environment, or the case number of the welfare office the computer has become the family tool. It can be used to entertain children as well as add up the months bill & grocery list. Writers have become writers using the machine that has a word processor. The word processor has enabled some to transform bad writing habits into sanity. While the average worker has come to despise the machine that requires one to sit down and function to the whims of the machine. The choice of keys and numerary contain the clues to the use of the machine that enslaves millions.

The ergonomics information which, can save ones eye sight or back or even calm the nerves has become essential to the computer user. The typing skills become the wonder of the user. Meanwhile the educational people have made great strides in keeping the user computer literate. The home user has become the master where previously they may have been rejected from the school and the power that comes with success and writing in that place. But then when check and paycheck come to be given for use of the machine a new reality sets in to the mind set of the user. The rich can simply buy a machine and spend enough time learning to become the advocates for any manner of use. The new reality that comes from the machine is in many places becoming users scorn and hate.

The revenge comes from a higher paycheck and the used market is becoming a haven for the user who wants revenge on the software industry that makes only a few people rich. The arrival home and then the machine goes on where previously the stereo had been played. Or the user goes to sleep only to have to set the alarm on the digital clock before awaking to the pay check week and the machine again. The time spent on-line has become a concept for the budget. So too the budget has become easier to calculate on the machine. The resultant spending power has also enabled people. The travel to work has been the same in some senses. But now the travel is to sit at the machine or sit on the assembly line fitting together electronic parts and building the vanilla boxes.

The ideas that have gone into making computers are the same ideas parodied by the Beat writer Burroughs. The boys toy and the soldering iron or gun have made it a bigger better world once again. The women have served in the government computer operations and the assembly lines of the computer manufacturers. All in all, the computer works for the person who is alone. And it works very well, it even still calculates!

Much of this four paragraph essays line of argument especially the opening paragraph is derivative of the TIME magazine feature Man of the Year, 1981.

Proofs

A simple proof about computers:

• Primary premise: computers are for work
• Secondary premise: people work with computers
• Conclusion: people work with computers that are for work

Some other statements that might be included in this argument

• Computers are for play. This is the statement of the opposite of the primary premise.
• Computers don't work, the computer is not working, the computer did not do the work, and the computer was not used to do the work. Again this seems to be the opposite of the primary premise.
• Computer literacy required, computer skills needed, computers languages sought include..., some familiarity with computer applications... all seem to be related to the secondary premise.

A long collection of statements that don't all seem to be provable from the above proof or implied by the above proof but might be implied. Never the less people make these statements.

• Computers are for business.
• I met my husband on IRC.
• Computers cost to much for my budget.
• No one is looking for my computer skills.
• We wear suits in this work place.
• Did you use the computer?
• Drug users should join Narcotics Anonymous and attend meetings using a computer.
• I am disabled but can program in Basic and Fortran.
• I am surfing the Internet.
• You can use either SPSS or SAS to submit your assigment.
• Don't leave a message if you just want to vent.
• I am happy doing work that does not involve computers.
• There is a big problem with the human resource departments of the computer corporations.
• Most computers exist in a foreign country called the United States of America.
• I drive to work.
• I use a binary computer.
• My cat is dead.
• He has given you some mis-information.
• I can wear a suit or I can wear jeans but I have to wear boots because I drive a moped.
• Computer work with the RCMP is not like the work you do with your computer at home.
• Computer security is a simple matter of backing up your work.
• You must agree not to use a false name on the CHAT system.
• I chat with a nick name at Geocities.
• I have never met anyone on the Internet.
• Why don't they use a computer to do this work?
• Make money with your computer. Ok this last statement sure looks like it could be the same as the proof, but it is also the subject line of thousands of e mails that are asking for money. Last time I worked in computers during the year 1981 I was paid money. I did not have to send money through the mail to make more money.

Computers are pure logic but also there are so many levels of programming of computers, that arguments, problems, variables, flow charts and proofs are limited only by human action.

Written by Peter Timusk.
E mail Peter.