Contact:cdent@burningchrome.com
Referring to:
Brown, J.S. & Duguid, P. (2000). Chapter 3: Home alone. In _The social
life of information_ (p. 63-89). Boston: Harvard University
Press.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2001 22:39:22 -0500 (EST)
From: cdent@burningchrome.com
To: ejacob_597ia_fall01@indiana.edu
Subject: Home Alone with Brown and Duguid
I have the following written down on my copy of the "Home Alone"
chapter. It was written before I read the rest of the chapter. I was
having a bit of a fit:
What does this diary tell me? Tells me that efforts to hide
complexity of computer results in instability and stupidity. Don't
shoot for the common denominator. Instead acknowledge complexity
and enhance opportunities for learning, which fills in the blanks in
the complexity, provides context, solidifies foundations.
In other words, the author of the diary would have had a better
experience if the ISP had been able (as partially requested) to
provide a document which explained, briefly, the basic information
required to set up dial up networking on the computer and provided a
bit of context on what was being done. Yes, the "user" would have
needed to make an initial time investment setting up the machine, but
from my perspective that time investment would have been worth it,
especially considering this person required several days to get going.
Such a document would explain the notion of two computers connecting
(a PPP network), the need for authentication (why there is a username
and password and what they are), the need for DNS (these days this
could be left out since that information can be passed automagically
in many cases) and give a little context about what could be expected
once connected.
In the end the user would then realize that what they are sitting at
is a computer, a tool which they can use to do "stuff", instead of a
magic box which does stuff. Note the actors there.
Agree? Disagree?
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