More About The Social Implications of Computing

More notes about Millennium Video: 'Visions ofHeaven and Hell' Channel 4 production

This presentation is rather 'arty' in nature - ethereal music in the background while we see long-distance sunset city-scapes and street-life slo-mo/fast-fwd at rush-hour - empty offices (early Sunday morning?) contrasted with crowded recreation parks at lunchtime - etc etc etc.

In amongst all this 'art-house stuff various talking heads appear (eg: Bill Gates: 'chip power doubles every two years') and a soporific commentary by a young-sounding female voice.

Part I: Selling the future:

As we near the end of the 20c there seems to be a 'Millennial Fever' affecting humanity - people all over the world are packing their bags and getting a move on - they want to make things happen.
The world seems to be in disarray - economic change, pollution, the horrors of Rwanda and Bosnia. Many people have an aching sense of self :::~~ - we seem to be drifting aimlessly into the future.

William Gibson (US writer, author of 'Neuromancer' in which the word 'cyber-space' was coined): 'we've hit a cusp - we've come to the end of the modern programme'.

But our technology is with us - our technology is the sum-total of our civilisation.

Bill Gates (the MS bloke): 'every 2 years chips get 2x more powerful'.

Charles Hardy (writer) - we are not 'natural' anymore - we are technological creatures.

Prof. Steven Hawkings ( cosmologist) the genome project represents an information glut- but we could use it to repair genetic defects - and improve the stock of the human race - but who has access to the technology?

Part 2: Globalisation:

The future is the marketplace - which won't wait.
There are pressures to abandon formal timekeeping - in the global economy day & night are interchangeable.

Mary Maroon's lifestyle could be the future (US example of 'tele-working') - she goes to the office when it suits her - no one is 'watching' - they notice only that the job is done. Her computer and mobile phone are always on-line - never off-duty.

'We are the way we work'. (?) Teleworking is not just changing, but transforming the way we work.
It may enable you to live the way you want- but there is no guarantee of happiness.
Who are the winners and who are the losers in the new technology?

As a co man I was full of stress - I was a puppet of someone else - now I work harder, for less money - but happier' .
An organisation now is just a box of contracts - and the personnel work the contracts - (free to work them their own way?).

But a lot of' ordinary' people needed the boundaries of structured or settled organisations . . .

Colorado mountains: mining ten years ago seemed like ajob for life for A.N.Other - now he's a heritage park guide. Beautiful surroundings where the 'technologically privileged' live in their fine houses - where they work from 'on tap'. But the wealthy and fortunate have always lived apart from the rest.

The virtual world is a distraction from reality.

Graham Patten (principal designer): the technology is good - soon it will be cheap.

Gregory Riker (MS): the promise of inter-active TV is near - we are inter-connected to each other in an endless web of data.

Bill Gates: its not good enough to sell to just the top 10% - we've got to get to the majority of society, or we're not achieving the potential of the system.

Donald Norman Apple: a digital tidal wave is sweeping across the world.

Suzanne Moore (journalist): the split between those who have this technology and the 'have-nots' is worrying.

Will Hutton (the Guardian econ editor): the world is becoming a free market in work & finance - where technology is passive, people are tuned to just receive - it won't benefit those it ignores (in Tokyo, there are 3x the number of phone lines than in all of Africa).

I am the website administrator of the Wandle industrial museum (http://www.wandle.org). Established in 1983 by local people determined to ensure that the history of the valley was no longer neglected but enhanced awareness its heritage for the use and benefits of the community.