Re: [colorforth] merging edit time and run time

[albert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Albert van der Horst)]

On Mon, May 23, 2005 at 02:14:02PM -0400, Mark Slicker wrote:
> On Mon, 23 May 2005, Albert van der Horst wrote:
<SNIP>
> >
> >In cars there is changing a lot. The switch to put the lights
> >on is in the same place and feels the same, but nowadays it
> >communicates with a computer and the lights are switched on over
> >a can bus. Is there a user illusion here?
> >If so is that bad? (I can see that is so if you have to fix it
> >yourself in the desert. But then, how many people out there
> >would be able to fix a mechanical switch/work around it?)
>
<SNIP>
>
> In some of the cases above, I don't think there is a user illusion in the
> light switch if it is made clear to the user that the effect of pushing
> the button is to send a message to a computer to requiest that the light
> be turned on or off. If they are instead trying to pass it off as a
> coventional light switch, I think there is an illusion going on here. In
> most cases it might apear to be a switch, if something goes wrong, the
> problem may have nothing to do with operation of the light, the button,
> and the connections between them.

But in the above case the car manufacturer would not change the
manual of the car. Lever in this position: light on.
Lever in that position: light off. This would not change after
introducing the CAN bus. Most car owners would hardly understand
if there is a remark there about computers and not conventional
anyway. The section about trouble shooting in the manual probably
changes. (No more: look at fuse X if the light doesn't come up.)
I can't see much wrong with this state of affairs.
There are a few things each car user should know. Use the right
fuel. Keeps the tires inflated. Etc. Rightly these are minimized.
Rightly these are stressed. But why tell him more? Unless he is
a Forther, I guess ...

I'm certainly interested in your opinion whether this is bad?
And if so,  what can be done about it?

Are we heading towards a time where everybody uses techniques
that nobody understands any more, and where the correct procedures
are followed, as a religion, without insight, like in some of
the science fiction stories of small groups that inherit a
high tech environment without a high tech culture?

Groetjes Albert

--
Albert van der Horst,Oranjestr 8,3511 RA UTRECHT,THE NETHERLANDS
Economic growth -- like all pyramid schemes -- ultimately falters.
albert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://home.hccnet.nl/a.w.m.van.der.horst

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