Instrumenting the enterprise

I am certain you are right, but...: As I stand and look back over the past couple of decades of computers in business I often question the direction all of it has taken us. I know I am not the only one that remembers the "promise" of what computers could and would do for people. Unfortunately those promises seem pretty hollow in light of what did in fact happen.

Remember the promise of a shorter work week as the computer would empower the average person to work "faster and smarter" at the mundane and repetitive tasks leaving more time to handle the important things and even, GASP, give them more free time. Well, that did not happen and I see nothing that indicates it ever will. If anything the number of hours worked has increased, made more demands on our personal lives (taking the work home or working from home via the net) and in general made the work place more inhospitable.

What you are suggesting is a higher degree of automation which really comes down to replacement of people in the mix. Decision making won't be made by people, it will be done by a computer *somewhere* and people will blindly follow it.

One could almost look at the "computer" as the thinker and humans are no more than appendages to get something the computer wants done. I just don't know that I want to live in that world...; Posted by: No_Ax_to_Grind Posted on: 01/08/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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