Re: CS-234 Discussion

In their paper "The Computer as a Communication Device," Licklider and Taylor imagined computers as tools that would enable rich, decentralized communication across a global network, allowing individuals to collaborate freely. Usenet fulfills many aspects of this vision by creating a platform where users from around the world can share information without relying on centralized authorities. The group-based discussion format reflects their idea of networked communities exchanging ideas asynchronously, fostering a participatory culture.

However, their vision also included more real-time, interactive collaboration, which differs from Usenet’s more delayed, text-based interactions. Furthermore, modern social networks have centralized much of the communication that Licklider and Taylor envisioned as decentralized, creating large corporate-controlled platforms.

While Usenet remains a decentralized space, it no longer holds the prominence it once had, and the rise of more centralized forms of communication has led to a different evolution from what was originally imagined.


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.