Re: CS-234 Discussion

CS234 <cs234@lhmerino.dont-email.me> wrote:

This thread is intended for the students of CS-234: Technologies for democratic society
 
How does Usenet fit into the vision presented by Licklider and Taylor in
"The Computer as a Communication Device"?
 
Reflect on:
- Which aspects of their vision are realized through Usenet?
- What aspects have evolved differently from what they imagined?
 
Feel free to respond to comments made by your classmates as well.

In “The Computer as a Communication Device”, Licklider and Taylor demonstrated remarkable foresight in predicting what would eventually become the internet. Many of their ideas were actualized in Usenet, in particular:
* Their vision of online communities based on shared interests rather than physical proximity has come to pass, as seen in Usenet communities.
* Their concept of computer networks is realized through the peer-to-peer network of Usenet.
* Their model of interactive communication is partially realized through Usenet, as the sharing of text over long distances facilitated communication.
However:
* Usenet only allowed text to be shared, so their vision of a “shared mental model” would only be fully realized later.
* The price they predicted was much higher than what was required at the time to communicate through Usenet.
* The societal impact of Usenet was limited. Although people managed to share information, including educational knowledge, it did not have the widespread influence that would only come later with other platforms.