🚀 go-pugleaf

This article is from Denny Page <hpfcla!dsndata!denny>
 and was received on  Mon Jan 12 21:24:34 1987
 
In reply to Steve North's comment:

> ... but why choose a narrow-bandwidth, impoverished medium like glorified 
> electronic mail when you can meet face to face?

  I think that the use of bandwidth here is very misleading.  Electronic
group discussions certainly do not fall under the category of 'narrow'.
The electronic medium actually provides a very high potential bandwidth.
This is one of it's great advantages over group meetings.  Face to face,
in a group, you can't comprehend and respond coherently when 2 people
are talking to you at the same time.  Not only is the potential bandwidth
low, but the consumed bandwidth is very high.  In an electronic group
however, many persons can provide opinions and information, all at the
same time, which you are free to work with at your leisure.  Thus, the
consumed bandwidth (both the group's and each individual's) is usually
rather low.  While others are composing responses to this, I will be
doing a great many other things...
  Electronic discussions can also provide a much greater convince to the
individuals within the group.  At this moment, I am enjoying the sounds
of Gustav Holst - The Planets.  It helps me to think.  I doubt however,
that I would find the people in my office caring to listen to Holst during
a software meeting.  It's 2200 right now.  I live in the boondocks.  If
Computers & Society were an 'in person' meeting, do you think that we
could all decide on a time?  On a location?  On the music?  :-)
  All this is not to say that personal meetings do not have purpose.
They are indeed very useful, in that they provide a much better basis
for personal relationships.  They are enjoyable.  When it comes to group
efforts however, they aren't as efficient.

  Personal Presence (Seeing) is important.  Viewing just doesn't get it.
The Solarians failed to realize this. :-)

Frank Adams continues the discussion by saying:

> ... The lack of non-verbal information is offset by the potential to take 
> more time to consider arguments, both one's own and those of others.

  It also allows you time to cool off.	:-)