Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Thu, 8 Oct 1992 11:41:58 CDT
From:         Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
Subject:      Settling of the Internet

3 Messages, 108 Lines
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From:         Elizabeth Lane <ELANE3@UA1VM>
Subject:      Re: Settling of the Internet
Claudia Lynch says:

>I sent the message referred to in this post because I am tired of people
>who have arrived in the land of the nets recently (like last summer) and seem
>to think nothing existed before them. I agree, it probably came off a bit more
>mean spirited than it should have. I could have toned it down.
>
Oh, dear. I was less offended than Judy by your first message; this one,
however, seems to me to be much more objectionable. In fact, it typifies
much of what the problem really is.

As someone who has been "in the land of the nets" since
1986 (hope I've properly established my credentials...), I think it's
pretty obvious that the nets are still far from "user-friendly." It is
only in tha past few months that we have started to see anything like
books and aids aimed at those who (quite rightly, I think) do not feel
they should need to master any sort of arcane command language in order
to take advantage of information resources.

I think it's unreasonable to say "You don't have the right to complain,
since you haven't struggled with the system, and finally mastered it
the hard way, the way I had to." (And although that may not be what
Claudia meant, it's certainly the attitude that's conveyed.) I think we
have a *lot* to learn from new users, and their reactions to the system
as it stands. That's the best way to write documentation, or to design
user interfaces. (should I establish my credentials here, too? references
available upon request.)

>As for complicated, //DD is no more complicated than anything else if
>you follow the instructions. We have an online card catalog at our
>library and I have trouble using it because I don't use it often enough.
>Its all a matter of what you get used to doing.

I see. So we should all strive for this standard of difficulty? This
reminds me of a line from the humorous document "Real Programmers." The
line reads: "Real programmers don't comment their code. If it was hard
to write, it should be hard to understand."
>
>I guess the bottom line is that I think many people in Library Science, who
>now consider themselves "information professionals," feel like they are the
>only ones who can provide solutions to problems that don't really exist.
>They are just not familiar with the solutions yet.

There are an awful lot of users out there who most definitely have a
problem using the networks as they now stand. Perhaps you have already
developed solutions to these problems. However, if the solutions fail
to solve the problems of those users, *as they perceive their problems*,
are they really solutions? If I write documentation or design an interface
that users don't feel comfortable with, it doesn't matter how well I
think I've done...I still don't have a successful product. Until we start
designing systems for the *users*, rather than for the designers, I think
we still have a problem. Us "self-proclaimed information professionals"
are often trying to mediate this conflict between the needs of the users
and the expectations of the designers. To dismiss the first as either
nonexistent or unimportant (by virtue of naivete  or any other criterion)
seems to me to be willfully ignorant, and excessively close-minded. To
dismiss the efforts of those in library science and other fields to
improve access to information (which is, after all, the major purpose of
our profession) seems to me to be downright ridiculous.

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| Elizabeth Lane                   Internet: elane3@ua1vm.ua.edu |
| University of Alabama            BITNET:   ELANE3@UA1VM        |
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From: James Jay Morgan <MORGANJ@ucs.indiana.edu>
Subject: RE: Settling of the Internet
I like Claudia Lynch's comments about the and find them a refreshing
change from the laments about how hard everything is.  But I was puzzled
by the reference to the note in the On-Line box (p. A17, 9/30/92) of
the Chronicle of Higher Ed.  When I looked up the entry, it described
Stumper-L, a bitnet list for exchange of problem questions among
Reference librarians.  This seems to be an effective and practical use
of the Internet, and I don't see what it has to do with the grandiose
plans of others to organize and codify the internet.
Jim Morgan
MORGANJ@INDYVAX.BITNET  MORGANJ@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU
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From:         "Michael S. Hart" <HART@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu>
Subject:      Re: Settling of the Internet
I am totally amazed at the number of requests I have already received to
send "Announcing The End of the Internet, Details at 11:00."

Also amazingly, no one sent me a note saying I should keep my mouth shut
about this subject.

The only difficulty I foresee is the copyright issue, as these are notes
I have written on my own, for publication, and have been copyrighted for
their entire existence.  For those who argue the point, you are welcome,
even encouraged to delete them (usually that little key next to the left
upper one). . .and to remember that newspapers and flyers are copyright,
even though they may go to millions of people, or be send out free.

Stay tuned, for further developments.

Thank you for your interest,

Michael S. Hart, Professor of Electronic Text
Executive Director of Project Gutenberg Etext
Illinois Benedictine College, Lisle, IL 60532
No official connection to U of Illinois--UIUC
hart @uiucvmd.bitnet or hart@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU