brkirby@watmum.UUCP (Bruce Kirby) (03/13/86)
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, I am currently working on a project studying the effects of computers, particularly Natural Language Processors, on writing. I would greatly appreciate any information, sources, opinions, or personal experiences, that could be provided. The topics I am interested in are: 1) Professional Writers What effects are there on Journalists and Authors? Do word/text processors, spelling checkers, style checkers simplify their jobs? Are they using these aids? If not, why not? How are editors aided/hindered by computers? Can computers remove the need for proof readers, if superficicial errors can be automatically eliminated? 2) Non-professional Writers What effects are there on people for whom writing is a secondary task(i.e. Managers, Academics, Students)? Will managers use a computer, or continue to dictate to a secretary? What do they do now? Will this allow for more or less time to be spent on other tasks? Can students use computers to simplify typing of essays and theses? Will this allow more time to concentrate on the substance, rather than the form, of what is written? 3) Education Can NLP be used in a CAI environment? Can a computer teach English? What effect will this have upon literacy, and writing style? 4) Long-Run Issues To what extent is natural language understanding feasible? Will a computer ever be able to write a novel? What sort of flexibility in style can a computer produce? Do we stand the risk of becoming dependent on computers? Will our inherent ability to spell be affected by the use of spelling checkers? Will we all write the same, copying the style produced by computers? Is there anything else that I am missing? Is this really an issue? Is anyone still reading this? Any response is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Bruce Kirby U. of Waterloo UUCP: {decvax|utzoo|ihnp4|allegra}!watmath!watmum!brkirby