From: jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com>
Date: Sat, 18 May 1996 17:53:08 +0800
To: Alan Horowitz <alanh@infi.net>
Subject: Re: Past one terabit/second on fiber
Message-ID: <199605180328.UAA23861@newmail.pacifier.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 09:23 PM 5/17/96 -0400, Alan Horowitz wrote:
>
>> >Now that's progress, don't you think?
>> 
>> Yes, I do!  Because these activities don't just happen by themselves, they 
>> take the place of other activities which were formerly done in their 
place.  
>> The trivial example of sending letters has been replaced by email.
>
>   E-mail is cool. E-mail is lovely. I use it enthusiatically.   It is 
>not the same thing as sitting down with a fountain pen and and some fine 
>stationary. I feel sorry for your significant other if your loveletters 
>go by e-mail.

So you've found one specific instance where you don't think it's appropriate 
to send email.  Big deal!  Try again.


>Yes, let's get people away from reading books. Hey, there's computer 
>games to play, burn that library down, will you?

Want people to read books?  Okay, first put the hurdle in front of them that 
they must go to the library. (This is particularly a hurdle for children, 
when not in school, because they can't drive.)    Then, if the book(s) they 
want to read is already checked out, make them wait 1+ months until it 
returns.  Make them come back to the library to get it, and make them return 
it the same way.

See why some people DON'T read books?

>Quantity of life is not the same as quality of life.  

You're misrepresenting form over substance.  Information is no more valuable 
or trustworthy on paper than on electrons.




Jim Bell
jimbell@pacifier.com