The two readings focus on the integration of computers in the lives of
humans on a personal level. Mark Weiser introduced and discussed ubiquitous
computing, and since then it has more or less affected the lives of people on a
significant scale. Today, the usage of computers has become second nature to
some. With the versatility of smartphones and the popularity of social media,
carrying a smartphone is similar to carrying an extension of ourselves on a
physical and social level. As such, most people would be hard-pressed to give
up their devices, because it contains their contacts, tools and personal
information. Weiser’s article also predicted many devices that would become commonplace
today. The tabs, pads and boards introduced in his article seem to be
precursors to work-related key cards, electronic tablets and giant monitor
displays, respectively. Weiser’s article was quite ahead of its time concerning
the impact that machines would have in our lives.
However, Lucy A.
Suchman’s essay shows that there are many problems concerning humans
communicating with computers. The concept of language is extremely
multi-layered and nuanced; the meaning of certain terms and expressions can
sometimes be lost on the receiver. Programming a machine to understand these
nuances would be an extremely difficult and frustrating task, as there would be
thousands of ways to interpret someone’s sentence. With this in mind, would
programming machines to engage with humans be necessary? Conveying an abstract
concept such as emotion into a machine would be a difficult task, as the
emulation of a human’s feelings could come off as forced and awkward. In
addition, computers lack the intimacy needed to hold a meaningful conversation:
speaking to a person face-to-face or through text feels a lot more significant
then conversing with a series of wires and numbers. Despite these massive
setbacks, the idea of an intimate machine is possible, but it is just not feasible
in the near-future.
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