Re: Novelty of Internet and activity theory (Yvonne Waern)
re: Novelty of Internet and activity theory (Yvonne Waern)
Yvonne Waern <waern@dsv.su.se wrote:
I forgot the most important argument: Internet is of course NOTHING without human beings USING it. Internet is an artefact that mediates between the human subject and our objects (that may be various things).
The all too human aspect of the Internet might exactly be point where the whole story becomes boring and predictable. An Internet which no longer interests human beings could as well be an interesting point of departure. Many believe the Internet would be a better place without users. Just machines talkin' to each other; a dream come true for many programmers (and theorists...). The attempts to 'humanize' have so far not really been succesful, despite a decade of human-machine interface research and immense discoursive power of gurus such as Jakob Nielsen. After such failures it might really be interesting if computer science would FINALLY become post modern and shake off its poor humanism. Geert
Geert, I take your comments to be ironic. Of course interfaces still fail. The interesting thing is that so many people still find a way to communicate with each other over Internet in one way or other. There are various kinds of people - some want order and structure. Many of these are computer science people. Others may survive disorder and chaos because they get to meet so many interesting people. These are the so called "humanists". Unfortunately, these two kinds of people do not understand each other."East is east and west is west" (Kipling) We need both! All the best, Yvonne
re: Novelty of Internet and activity theory (Yvonne Waern)
Yvonne Waern <waern@dsv.su.se wrote:
I forgot the most important argument: Internet is of course NOTHING without human beings USING it. Internet is an artefact that mediates between the human subject and our objects (that may be various things).
The all too human aspect of the Internet might exactly be point where the whole story becomes boring and predictable. An Internet which no longer interests human beings could as well be an interesting point of departure. Many believe the Internet would be a better place without users. Just machines talkin' to each other; a dream come true for many programmers (and theorists...). The attempts to 'humanize' have so far not really been succesful, despite a decade of human-machine interface research and immense discoursive power of gurus such as Jakob Nielsen. After such failures it might really be interesting if computer science would FINALLY become post modern and shake off its poor humanism.
Geert
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-- Yvonne Wærn, Professor em, PhD. Department of Communication Studies, Linköping University SE 581 83 Linköping
There are various kinds of people - some want order and structure. Many of these are computer science people. Others may survive disorder and chaos because they get to meet so many interesting people. These are the so called "humanists". Unfortunately, these two kinds of people do not understand each other."East is east and west is west" (Kipling)
Flattening the variety of types of 'work' or research into only two camps (or any other very limited number) is very nearly as harmful as assuming that there is one-and-only-one kind of Internet user. elijah
Thanks, for the note. These were only the most obvious types. Actually derived from CP Snow: The two cultures.
Of course there is so much to say about various Internet users. Who want to start?
Actually, width of catories has been used as a measure of creativity ... All the best, Yvonne There are two kinds of people: those who divide people into two kinds and those who do not.
There are various kinds of people - some want order and structure.
Many of these are computer science people. Others may survive disorder and chaos because they get to meet so many interesting people. These are the so called "humanists". Unfortunately, these two kinds of people do not understand each other."East is east and west is west" (Kipling)
Flattening the variety of types of 'work' or research into only two camps (or any other very limited number) is very nearly as harmful as assuming that there is one-and-only-one kind of Internet user.
elijah
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participants (3)
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elijah wright -
geert lovink -
Yvonne Waern