3.691 Classifying techies; ham radio; ORION (98)

Willard McCarty (MCCARTY@vm.epas.utoronto.ca)
Fri, 3 Nov 89 20:50:49 EST

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 3, No. 691. Friday, 3 Nov 1989.


(1) Date: (not given) (46 lines)
From: Jeutonne P. Brewer <BREWERJ@UNCG.BITNET>
Subject: Guidelines for Classifying Techies/Tekkies

(2) Date: Fri, 3 Nov 89 14:57:00 EST (17 lines)
From: 6590BEAVERSA@MUCSD
Subject: HUMANIST AND HAM RADIO

(3) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 89 23:32:00 EST (11 lines)
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@OAC.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Re: 3.682 ORION on Internet? e-Akkadian? (48)

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: (not given)
From: Jeutonne P. Brewer <BREWERJ@UNCG.BITNET>
Subject: Guidelines for Classifying Techies/Tekkies

The negative reactions to recent technical discussions about
computer equipment surprised me. The comments about
techies/tekkies/techniks intrigued me. I contributed to the
comments about 3.5" drives. To atone for that misdemeanor or
major blunder (depending on the reader's view and preference in
computers), I offer these guidelines for classifying comments and
views as technical and people as techies/tekkies:

1. Comments are technical when we have no need to know
about the subject. Comments become pertinent and
important if we need to know about the subject.

2. Technical information is unimportant if we are
spending someone else's money, for example, money provided
by a computer center or a department. If we are spending
our own money, the information is important. The
information becomes crucial if we are spending our own
money at the end of the month.

3. Comments about hardware are technical, and people who
talk or write about what is in the inside the computer
are techies/tekkies. Reviewers are typically exempt from
this classification because they are professionally
technical rather than practically technical (whatever
that means).

4. Comments about software are non-technical.

5. Classify all comments about computers we don't use or
don't like as technical. Classify people who write the
comments as techies/tekkies.

I think it is interesting that we tend to classify discussions of
DRAMs and drives differently from discussions of features of word
processors and databases, details about scanners and optical character
recognition, and fonts for various laser printers. After all, we
are not really dealing with a difference between object and
quality in the sense of C. S. Lewis, F. R. Leavis, and others. It
is true that the machine is just nuts, bolts, solder, and chips
without the programs. However, there is no reason for the
programs to exist without the chips. We have to think in terms of
the whole instead of a dichotomy.
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------27----
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 89 14:57:00 EST
From: 6590BEAVERSA@MUCSD
Subject: HUMANIST AND HAM RADIO

I am a Ham Radio operator (N5HFN) though I have been inactive
while pursuing my Ph.D. Indeed, HUMANIST does have the style of
the radio nets save for the fact that the Hams seem to
understand that maximum use of their equipment means that they
must learn the technical aspect of their hobby. I agree with the
Hams, and I, for one, enjoy the technical news on HUMANIST; some
of it is beyond me to be sure, but learning begins with
exposure. (Or at least, after having been exposed, I am in a
position where I can choose what to learn through follow-up.)
Thanks ***

Anthony Beavers - Lecturer
Philosophy - Marquette University
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------14----
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 89 23:32:00 EST
From: KESSLER <IME9JFK@OAC.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Re: 3.682 ORION on Internet? e-Akkadian? (48)

Try ecz5re2@uclamvs. That should give you the reference desk e-mail,
and they will be able to tell you orion's log-on from outside. I get
idirectly via my access to the 3090. J Kessler, UCLA

Oh yes, of course it costs. People of California pay taxes for it, it
says here. J Kessler@ucla