Computers in the 21st Century...hmmm

I read “The Computer for the 21^st Century”, a paper written by Mark Weiser. I found the paper odd but overall it was an interesting read. I think the paper was written in 1991 and he was hoping, even expecting his ideas to be a reality in 20 years time but that time constraint is nearly up and we are nowhere near what Weiser describes, not in mainstream life anyway. The aim of this paper is to consider ubiquitous computers, i.e., computers that aren't invasive to the extent that you don't realise you're even using a computer. At the moment the Weiser didn't feel like computers were a part of everyday life, in a sense they get in the way, he wants computers to be an “integral, invisible part of the way people live their lives”. Weiser talks about laptops, they have tried to integrate into our everyday lives but a “single box” is still in the way and not “invisible”. He sees integrated computers as the goal for example, “tabs” that act like post-it notes, boards with “electronic chalk”, “liveboards” can be used for conferences when all the people aren't in the same place 2 boards can display the same information. So pretty much pen and paper would never be the same, it would all be electronic. These “liveboards” can also be used as bulletin boards but the bulletins are specific to an individuals needs, all the user needs is an “active badge”, so there is no effort involved, the user doesn't have to do anything, no effort is required.

Weiser seems to want computers to mimic/replace everyday objects and to work together, for instance paper will beep if it is mislaid or a file cabinet will open with the file you are searching for, it will have found it for you. He mentions the money aspect but thinks that a standard screen will be very cheap in the next few years so it won't be a huge problem, I think this is what is holding the idea back, computers and screens are not so cheap that someone could afford to have hundreds in their house! Plus nowadays everyone is very energy efficient I can't see how this idea Weiser has is feasible when it comes to using energy wisely, these computers would always have to be on.

In the wrong hands Weiser recognises these ubiquitous computers such as active badges could have adverse effects, people could access personal data but with “cryptographic techniques” existing, if someone does access your data without consent they will leave behind a kind of digital fingerprint and can be traced.

Weiser gives an extract from a book which I found quite weird and not really appropriate for a paper but it did put across his point of what the world he imagines was real.

He concludes by saying ubiquitous computers will bring a sense of community into workplaces as workers will have more interaction with each other, also there will be less “computer addicts” as computers will be so common and normal that everyone is using them. Computers are a lot of the time related to stress whereas if they are less intrusive people won't make that connection. I'd never thought of this concept before but it is a very provocative insight into what the future could be like. This paper and it's ideas relate to my project as a device that was a computer but so integrated into normal life is exactly what he describes if only a tiny step into his world.