cw (10/27/82)
A recent article asks what a history major is going to use a personal computer for? What, may I ask, are you using your (at this moment) personal computer for? Reading netnews, I presume. Indeed, I suspect that you do not really understand how much the free availability of a computer for your use affects the way you run your life. I know that I do not until I talk with people who do not have such access. Further, I do not think any of us computer persons (suggest a better collective noun, if you will) really can guess what good things a history major might do. In fact, denying the possibility that someone not trained in our arcane arts could have a use smacks of the arrogance of a guild. Finally, I suspect that within ten (twenty if you are a particularly conservative reader) years this question will be moot; something much nicer than PC's will be everywhere. It was only two or three years ago when PC's even became available generally for reasonable prices and with reasonable capabilities. Now the question of whether a particular school should require the purchase of a PC is a matter of educational and social policy, economics, pedagogy, finances, and so on. I would of thought that the rest of us would watch the experiment with interest. Also, there seems to be some confusion about CMU and Drexel. CMU plans to install (presumably at no cost to students beyond that normal to private schools) a very extensive computer network. Since CMU is a premier engineering school and probably has the brains to undertake this enormous job, I applaud them. I hope it works; I'm not sure it will. Drexel, on the other hand, is both less ambitious and more hopeful. They only want independent PC's for everyone; something easily attainable with current technology and a little (relatively speaking) money. On the other hand, CMU is almost certain to have a fascinating installation if it works, whereas Drexel is only hoping that some intellectual synergy will occur beyond the obvious uses of PC's. Charles
bob (11/11/82)
References: cwruecmp.208 eagle.578 Alright, already! I just picked up this newsgroup, and DO know something about Drexel U. They specialize in engineering, although for the past 10 years or so they've tried to move into liberal arts. It's not entirely unreasonable for them to require PC's of their students; after all, they're a university, and *NOT* a state or community college. --Bob Hofkin (sdcsvax!bob)