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Article #721Re: Computer Folklore
From: Gordon Fitch
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1988 07:01
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1988 07:01
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As far as the various computer folklore stories being related in this digest, I don't find any of them astounding. Ignorance is the condition of all when confronted by unfamiliar machinery. Generally the instructions given to the ignorant are poorly written and assume that the instructee will supply the missing knowledge. When the knowledge isn't there, malfunction is not only to be expected, it's almost inevitable. > Quote of the week: > "Oh, I don't need a computer, I'm here to do word processing" Many people don't consider a device dedicated to word processing to be a computer. A friend of mine manages a group of word-processing people who are part of a data-processing department. For her and her colleagues, the computer is the 3081 down the hall, not the little boxes they work with. Yes, they know that the boxes contain computers, they just don't use the word that way, since it would lead to confusion -- actually, it would lead to derision. Gordon Fitch
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arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!bbn!uwmcsd1!ig!agate!eos!labrea!decwrl!pyramid!hplabs!hplabsz!taylorShow Full Headers
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!bbn!uwmcsd1!ig!agate!eos!labrea!decwrl!pyramid!hplabs!hplabsz!taylor From: gcf@actnyc.UUCP (Gordon Fitch) Newsgroups: comp.society Subject: Re: Computer Folklore Message-ID: <1916@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM> Date: 20 Apr 88 07:01:27 GMT Sender: taylor@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM Organization: InterACT Corporation Lines: 20 Approved: taylor@hplabs