At 16:07 10/11/2003 -0400, you wrote: >Hey, > >I am doing my English 101 final paper on the negative affects that the >sophistication of technology has on every day life. I need your opinions >on issues that I can address in my report.
Read this: The Inmates Are Running the Asylum : Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How To Restore The Sanity http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0672316498/103-6687405-3173406?v=glance#product-details if you haven't already. Probably in the library already. Negative effects are that most technology is not used to its full potential, products are confusing and difficult to use, and technology products are routinely discarded in favor of newer technology with features that are supposedly easier to use. I assume that manufacturers add bells and whistles to give the appearance of more features, which unfortunately people equate with more value. Manufacturers won't address these issues as long as consumers continue to buy the products. A good example would be Microsoft Office 2003 versus Open Office 1.0. Most of the new features in MS Office 2003 are not needed by the average user, whereas Open Office is "good enough" for most user's needs. I've read somewhere that Microsoft's biggest obstacle to consumers buying Office 2003 is Office 97, in that the consumers don't see a need to upgrade. John Hebert
