<nettime> Platform Independent article for this month

[Andy Oram <andyo@oreilly.com>]

     [orig To: cpsr-cyber-rights@cpsr.org]

This ought to be a treat for members of these lists...

http://www.webreview.com/pub/2000/07/14/platform/index.html

by Andy Oram
July 14, 2000

Numerous communities are trying to wrench their populations into "the
information age" by introducing computer skills in the classroom. In
the following dialog, a community leader who is troubled by the
results talks with a therapist online.

Patient:	I have a problem with computers.

Therapist:	Tell me about the problem with computers.

Patient:	I depend on computers for things I shouldn't.

Therapist:	Why do you think you shouldn't?

Patient:	Well, my community is trying to lift its high school
		graduates' economic status and transition welfare
		recipients into secure jobs by giving them basic
		training in simple office computer programs. We've
		sunk a lot of the educational budget and discretionary
		government funding into this endeavor.

Therapist:	Is there something about this endeavor that bothers
		you?

Patient:	It's not working. Turns out that employers are taking
		those skills for granted and looking for candidates
		with more specialized and refined educations.

Therapist:	Earlier you were telling me you depend on computers
		for things you shouldn't.

Patient:	That's because we thought that computerizing and going
		on the Internet would provide a larger market for our
		goods and services. But it turns out that those
		technologies favor consolidation and streamlining. The
		only way to get ahead in such a game is to offer the
		same thing as all the other vendors but to shave a few
		tenths of a cent off of the costs of every
		transaction. So we're reducing the quality of work
		and hearing increasing complaints from citizens about
		their narrowing opportunities in life.

Therapist:	Could it be that it's because you've sunk a lot of the
		educational budget and discretionary government
		funding into this endeavor that you're reducing the
		quality of work and hearing increasing complaints from
		citizens about their narrowing opportunities in life?

Patient:	That's an odd idea, but it's worth considering. Maybe
		we should spend less time cultivating computer skills
		and more time finding the unique contributions each
		person can make. We've been ignoring the treasures
		right in our own back yard. I'll tell you what's
		really bad: we find ourselves in conflict with every
		other community for an ever-shrinking toehold at the
		top.

Therapist:	I can tell that you don't like that you're in conflict
		with every other community for an ever-shrinking
		toehold at the top.

Patient:	Yes, it's terrible! Every community is trying to be
		the number one warehouse supplier.

Therapist:	Maybe every community should not be trying to be the
		number one warehouse supplier.

Patient:	Hey, you just gave me a really powerful idea.

Therapist:	Tell me more about the really powerful idea.

Patient:	Instead of homogenizing our culture and competing on
		the same ground within a single global market, maybe
		every community should play to its own strengths. You
		see, we buy things as well as sell them. We can be a
		desireable market that the mega-corporations want to
		tap. It's possible for modern technology to pinpoint
		customized services to each town's geography, culture,
		and particular needs.

Therapist:	Tell me what it would be like for modern technology to
		pinpoint customized services to each town's geography,
		culture, and particular needs.

Patient:	It would be great! Then we could present local experts
		as intermediaries between their populations and the
		companies trying to appeal to us. That's a source of
		employment for us, and a source of valuable
		information to outsiders. The companies who did the
		best job making use of the skills of local experts
		would reap the most rewards. Say, you know your stuff!

Therapist:	Why should I say that I know my stuff?

Patient:	Because you've solved my problem! I'm going to stop
		expecting so much from computers, and concentrate on
		promoting what's extraordinary and desirable about my
		town's markets and services. Thanks.

Therapist:	Your welcome.

Patient:	Good-bye.

Therapist:	My automated ecommerce agent will send you a bill.

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