I agree with you that technology is a tool. My issue is with the term "just". When you state that "technology is *just* a tool" you are minimizing the important and often obscure biases within the technology. The issue is subtle, but I believe it is significant.
To use your car analogy, there is nothing stopping someone from customizing their ride, you are quite right. Adding fuzzy dice is always a nice touch; however, customizing the car does not affect the biases within the car which are not changeable. For example, the car uses petrochemicals which pollute the environment and cause wars. The car operates on roads which ends up in lost farmland. Cars cause fatal accidents. Drinking and driving would not be possible without cars. The list is long indeed. In economic terms, the characterization is one of negative externalities or the unknown real cost of ownership. My concern is that by minimizing these important biases, communities could end up adopting technologies without knowing their true costs. That is my only point. I agree with you on your other points: responsibility, choice, changing the world and even the Sims. Kelvin -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Taran Rampersad Sent: March 3, 2005 6:23 AM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] Re: The digital divide and the idea of "public computing" Apparently, we violently agree. Technology *is* just a tool, just like the stone axe. Yes, you are right that technology is defined by the creator. But nobody said that technology couldn't be changed to be used by others. Whose responsibility is it to change something? Let's say I build a car, and you like the car and purchase it from me. Does that keep you from modifying the car for your own needs? No, it certainly does not... _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
