Silicon Snake Oil - elective

Silicon Snake Oil

My Reactions

I have selected five discussion points from Clifford Stoll’s book, Silicon Snake Oil. Mr. Stoll been in the technology industry for many years and has strong opinions concerning the direction in which our society is heading, due to the uses of technology.

“Does the Internet really bring us together…or does it isolate us from each other?”

My reaction:

I can imagine families sitting around listening to the radio shows. I can even remember my family getting our first colored television set. We selected an evening show that was family oriented and watched it together. The technology that Mr. Stoll is referencing, the Internet, is very different from radio and television in that it is accessible through a computer terminal, usually built for one person, maybe two. Not necessarily what we would call a family activity. Even though there wasn’t much family dialogue happening through the television programs we watched, we laughed together. We discussed the skits throughout the weeks, anticipating the next show.

I think that the act of spending time on the computer doesn’t have to be so isolating if the amount of time is limited and monitored by parents. It is comparable to most other activities in which parents monitor….everything in moderation.

Mr. Roy McGreal’s review of Silicon Snake Oil stated, “Conversely, where is this real world that Stoll uses to contrast with the Net? -- Full of wonderful real people relating to their families, reading novels and engaging in enlightened conversations while gardening.” Well Mr. McGreal, I am still trying for that real world…except for the gardening part.

“Information available over the Internet is often stale, incomplete, misleading, unreviewed, or simply wrong.”

My reaction:

So is the information in a lot of the textbooks teachers use! I would take my

chances with the Internet information over some of the outdated maps and

information in the textbooks that I have seen classroom teachers using. If there

is an awareness that the information needs to be checked to make sure it is

credible, I think the information from the Internet is more exciting, colorful, and

helps to compete with the videos and other electronics that the students use at

home.

“Face to face meetings are far more meaningful – and valuable – than disembodied network interactions.”

My reaction:

Darrin Stevens, a technology teacher, reviewed Mr. Stoll’s book and commented that there are too many people in front of computer screens, for long periods of time and not interacting, face to face, with real humans.

I think people value “time” and the communicating via the computer gives people more “time” to spend on other aspects of their jobs. (Especially if some of the people are long-winded.)

I do agree that there are some jobs in which a person could be spending more time with the computer than face to face with people. Maybe that person has stronger intrapersonal skills and is suited for that position. I also think people know when a face-to-face meeting is necessary to get the job done.

“Schools, libraries, and even businesses are being sold down the river, wasting money on ineffective and counterproductive computing systems.”

My reaction:

How are we really to know? If communities don’t spend money on technology

they will be viewed as outdated and not keeping up with the times. If they do

spend the money and the technology becomes outdated, then they have

squandered funds. I think we have to make the effort to keep up with technology.

Just the addition of electronic card catalogues in some school libraries is exciting

for students and has revived an interest in knowing what books are in the media

centers.

5. “Why not just rent a bus and drive everyone to Clayoquot Sound, over by

the edge of the rain forest, to count banana slugs and thousand-year-old

cedars? Or invite foresters and ecologists to the classroom to speak about

their problems or worries?”

My reaction:

I like the idea of classrooms of students communicating via email, discussing

their observations and other notable lesson points. I see these types of activities

as adding to the curriculum, which included the field trips already. Maybe the

classes could meet at the field trip site!

Reference:

Clifford Stoll's Page - http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~stoll/silicon_snake_oil.html