The Tools We Use Have A Profound

Progress Is Possible Only If We Train Ourselves To Think About Programs Without Thinking Of Them As Pieces Of Executable Code.

In Passing I Draw Attention To Another English Expression Which Often Occurs In Dutch Texts: "the Real World". In Dutch - And I Am Afraid Not In Dutch Alone - Its Usage Is Almost Always A Symptom Of A Violent Anti-intellectualism.

In The Wake Of The Cultural Revolution And Now Of The Recession I Observe A Mounting Pressure To Co-operate And To Promote "teamwork." For Its Anti-individualistic Streak, Such A Drive Is Of Course Highly Suspect; Some People May Not Be So Sensitive To It, But Having Seen The Hitlerjugend In Action Suffices For The Rest Of Your Life To Be Very Wary Of "team Spirit." Very.

In Their Capacity As A Tool, Computers Will Be But A Ripple On The Surface Of Our Culture. In Their Capacity As Intellectual Challenge, They Are Without Precedent In The Cultural History Of Mankind.

Perfecting Oneself Is As Much Unlearning As It Is Learning.