Why are computers so gratifying?
Channel: internet-class
Date: 04/11/2016

Another reason that we can become so immersed in computers and the internet is that computers provide us with a great deal of positive reinforcement. We type, and see our words appear. We click on a link, and a new page appears or a video starts to play. We run a command, and a program is compiled. Unlike the rest of the world, which can be messy and full of surprises, computers provide a series of positive and satisfying microinteractions. Unfortunately, this can create unrealistic expectations for the rest of our lives.

Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).

Part of the https://www.internet-class.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://blue.cse.buffalo.edu) production.