ayenad27

Technology, the user, and the users relation to a form of technology has been a reoccurring discussion during our readings. More specifically, in the article Subjective Intersections in the face of the machine by Helen Kennedy I noticed that the development of women and technology has been a slow one. A particular quote that grabbed my attention was on page 482 when Bella was speaking about technology. Her words “I can already see how people become addicted to this technology, it is a tool that with the use of logic and patience can be mastered. I feel like this rings true with CSS and the steps it takes to become a master at a tool that is often intimidating and overbearing a lot of the time. Towards the end of the article, Bella also pointed out on page 484 that the determination to dominate their machines that some students expressed may very well have been a response to these socio-economic conditions.” I feel this is also true because determination and mastery of a subject makes you a powerful figure in society’s eyes. Women have been somehow been sheltered from being able to dominate in the technological world due to a number of factors, however with the coming of the internet and online classes, the gender rift can be drawn closer together when men and woman can relate on a level of only wit.
Perspectives on Personal Identity by CD Raab also touched on the subject of the internet, and its facilitation of ‘virtual identities’. Sadly, trustworthiness still depends on the way people look (clean cut hair, looking in the eye) rather than a conversation. But nfor the first time with the internet, people could actually engage in conversations (business, or otherwise) without any consideration to the others appearance. In fact, it is funny to point out that I am typing up this paper, in bed and in my pajamas. Does that make this paper less credible than if I were say, sitting in the computer lab typing away in regular clothes? ‘Fraid not. It is then, a continuous process to try and make technology and access to technology a legitimate argument that it is not okay that women, the handicap and even children do not accelerate or advance in these fields unless they put forth an effort to take classes to learn. I think that technology should be an inherent trait, and knowledge should be passed on rather than kept secret for personal and financial gain.
The last article Putting ‘felt-life at the centre of Human-Computer interaction (HCI) by John McCarthy presents some of the issues with technology and its relation to humans. A person’s anxiety can directly interfere with their learning process it seems. If given a new piece of equipment to use without any guidance, or a manual I can see myself becoming very frustrated with the lack of information for me to be able to effectively use the new piece of technology. However, if allowed to instruct myself, or given help by someone else, that feeling of anxiety and distress is alleviated. It is interesting to notice that humans apply very real, and very vivid emotions towards computers. If a computer does not work, I have been known to cry. Yet the only real life situations to make me cry have either been the loss of someone or frustration with the lack of money. Personal relations to computers are also something that is a new idea for our generation. Take an Ipod for example (even though I do not own one, the article does mention it briefly), I have noticed that people who own Ipods excuse themselves from the real world whilst going about their day. The bus, the walk to class, while doing homework, have all become times where the user and the machine interact as one. However, if the Ipod were to be taken from them (either stolen or otherwise) the reaction can be quite the same. Each person is obviously distressed that their Ipod is gone. Do some people cry? Yes. Do some people get angry? Yes. Do some people feel relieved? No. It is not a relief that the technology isn’t there anymore, but a burden that they are without it. How will that affect the future? It will be interesting to see how people manage to cope with the loss of other, bigger, more relatable objects like personalized robots. I think AI, the movie we watched last quarter can only hint at this question and answer a small portion of it.