Little Leonardo Views
As I began reading Leonardo's Laptop, I was a bit skeptical as to how the author could, in any way, link Leonardo Da Vinci to modern day technology. I want to discuss the content of the book, but first I feel as if the author, Ben Shneiderman, deserves my praise. As I said, I was skeptical about the book, but as I began reading he was very eloquent in his writing and likes to cut straight to the meat of the subject. So, if Ben Shneiderman is reading this entry, I want to say that the book has kept my interest and makes me think about the stages of technology in a way I have never before.
Now that I have discussed the writing, I would like to discuss the content of the text. As we all know, companies put many hours into the creation and production of their products. However, the descriptive techniques discussed in the book caught my attention. The charts and tables Shneiderman uses demonstrates the emphasis that companies and producers are placing on the "universal" use of their products. By "universal" in this sense I am referring to the people surrounding the users of the technology (i.e. students, family, friends, peers, society). The needs and wants of all of the aforementioned people are at the fore-front of the producer's agenda. With this continuous effort to reach out to all people, technology will continue to prosper.
The focus placed on human-computer interaction was very enlightening. We use our technology devices every day as if they were a true "part" or "extension" of our family. The devotion that we have to the care and maintenance of these devices is one that I had not pondered before.
I know that the author had to include the skeptic's view of making technology available to the less fortunate. The skeptic’s view was that "dumbing down" the systems would have a negative overall impact. I refute that statement very much as Shneiderman does. As an aspiring politician, I feel that it is our obligation to reach out those underprivileged in communities around the nation. We especially need to make sure that minority students are having the opportunity to gain access to and gain knowledge about the most basic technological devices (i.e. word processor, internet, etc.) If these students are not given the proper training to use the technology then we, as a society, have failed. So, to the skeptics I say that the uneducated, the minority, the poor and the disabled all have the right to be taught and to learn.
Comments
Posted by: Suzy Kark
Posted on: September 19, 2005 04:04 PM
I agree that "the uneducated, the minority, the poor, and the disabled all have the right to be taught and to learn," yet where do you propose the funding, assistance, and program devolopment come from? Surely, as an aspiring polititian, you can understand how difficult it would be to take funds from other national, state, or local programs to fund ubiquitous computing. Even though it may benefit society in the future and possibly help to unite the world, it will be hard to gain support from enough people to put words into action.
Currently, the nation as a whole has not yet succeeded in giving all minority students the opportunity to interact, understand, and use the most basic technological devices, such as word processor and internet. But is it fair to say our society has totally failed?