Warren.King@p2.f140.n271.z1.fidonet.org (Warren King) (05/31/90)
Index Number: 8544
In a message to Betty Draughon <10 May 90 21:20:00> Greg See-Kee wrote:
GS> When I looked at what it would take to get "Ordinary Mebers of
GS> the Public" onto Fidonet conferences like this, I came up with a
GS> list like:
GS> 1) At least YEAR 7 formal education (basic literacy & numeracy
GS> skills).
Isn't this a level of education mandated by most governments in
today's society? I will have to admit, it took a teen-ager in the
7th grade to show me how to operate a computer the first time
<grin>, maybe I need his help now in getting my BBS set up with
BinkleyTerm!
GS> 2) Stable home environment, ensuring ability to learn, plus
GS> ready care & access to personal resource files.
As a former public school teacher, I can say that the ability to
learn has more to do with the desire to learn than home environment
and personal resources. I have had superior students from broken
homes and families that were so poor that their houses still have
dirt floors and no running water or electricity.
GS> 3) Stable conatc with the owner of business computer
This is not true! Many of the users of my BBS are using Commodore
64's and VIC 20's and old FRANKLIN computers and these are
definetly not "business" caliber machines.
GS> 4) Stable enough personal life to learn, then to regularly
GS> operate modem, connected to computer and phone line.
No more stable a persnoal life than it takes to be able to make the
decisions necessary in weekly shopping, or basic auto
maintainence. It is a different area not a mystical one!
GS> 5) Stable & well-developed personality, to ensure that
GS> Persistance will eventually supply Reward
Negative! The FIDONET conferences are personality builders! I
don't think that too many involved to as great a degree as yourself
and me can not say that the conferences do not affect the way we
think and act. It is an exposure to people around the world who
will influence the way we see things from now on. My computer did
not care what kind of personality I had when I started entering
messages, but I have grown by using it!
GS> 6) Intelligence enough (higher than average) to appreciate
GS> highly abstract & "remote" communications. The intelligence involve
GS> here is not so much required as the way a person views life. If you
GS> can adapt to new technology easily or whether you have to be dragged
GS> into something new, kicking and screaming all of the way!
This might be true, but it is no biggie! I remember the same thing
being said about 35 years ago concerning the use of calculators!
GS> 7) Enough life-control, to devote enough time & discipline to
GS> non-essential activities.
This hobby is no different in this respect that any other. The
same thing could be said about putting together a model plane or a
jigsaw puzzle, or even playing a sport.
GS> So by "Definition of the Communication Medium", everyone
GS> regularly accessing this conference, has all seven of the above
GS> factors.
GS> Each one of the above seven essential. As soon as one of the
GS> above is missing, then in my opinion, the person could not
GS> regularly access this Fidonetconference.
GS> The above factors are not randomly distributed in the general
GS> population. They can be found, in my unresearched opinion, only
GS> in the higher socio-economic brackets.
GS> It is a measure of the socio-cultural isolation of many people in
GS> this conference, that they cannot realize that MOST people do not
GS> have lives where each factor above can be satisfied.
Greg, there may be some merit it what you are saying because we are
talking about a NEW state-of-the-art form of communication. As
people get over their fear of computers and modems become as common
place as telephones, most of what you are saying will have on
bearing. I will grant you that it takes a special kind of person
to be among the first to try new things, but that is fast changing
as more and more people are exposed to modem communication. Most
school childredn in the US are now taught their way around a
computer in elementary school and jr. high school. Computers are
becoming rapidly available in the schools and in community centers
and libraries for any citizen to use who wants to. It is even
getting to the point where many city governments are running their
own bulletin boards to dispurse information to the citizens and for
the citizens to interact on political issues.
-Warren-
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