Literacy: Natural Language vs. Code

sirReal.83. writes "The Guardian has an article by Dylan Evans, author of Introducing Evolutionary Psychology. The article discusses literacy in computer languages, and suggests that we are in the 'technological middle ages.' Cuddly UI's are the manifestation of wishful thinking; just as we try to make computers to adapt to us, we must adapt to them." Some good points are raised, with the example of the command line interface used, which is a much better choice than, say, an array of switches or a punch card.

Comments

Microsoft is already developing a natural language

[MongooseCN]

Instead of typing in stuff like:

int main()
{
printf("Hello World.\n");
return 0;
}

Now you simple type in:

Microsoft_knows_whats_best_for_me;

Re:lucky stars

[EnigmaticSource]

Who wants to read Slashdot from a text-browser like Lynx

I Prefer my Slashdot that way...
Porn Sites Really Suck though.
----
Real Men Don't X ----

Re:Incredibly foolish article

[IM6100]

Since you quit anyways, you should have snuck into his office once or twice and cut the cord off his mouse. Why should he need to use a mouse?

If you had the resources at hand (probably not) you should have pulled his PC entirely and wheeled in a mini-computer with a switch panel and lights, like a PDP-8. Why should he use a computer that boots automatically? It isn't that hard to memorize the five or six octal command sequences to bootstrap a PDP-8 and get it started reading the high speed paper tape to load the FOCAL interpreter.

Re:not all bad

[Anonymous Coward]

"they are more feared because they know to much and people wont higher them"

obviously you are not one of these fearsome people

Re:Empowering citizens with Boolean algebra

[Ignis Flatus]

Learn the liberal arts -- mathematics and logic -- and you will be much better prepared to defend yourself as a free citizen in a computerized world.

Nah, to be "free" in our society means having power. And for at least a couple of centuries now, the easiest way to obtain power is to become a lawyer. Learn to defy mathematics and confound logic through the power of law.

Re:Incredibly foolish article

[PsiPsiStar]

The Matrix taught me many important things about Religion and Philsophy. For example, Jesus knows Kung-Fu and shoots people. And... um... spoons aren't real.

I swear, next time someone says "There is no spoon" I'm going to throw a spoon at them.

Re:Empowering users with the command line

[xmedar]

nor my daughter the neuroscientist!

Given that the current pole is Internet dating, may I ask if your daughter is

a) already attached
b) under 35
c) cute

And no, I've never done this before, honest!