Charlie,

Please keep in mind that, for the most part, any two T.V.'s are the same.
Unfortunately, this doesn't work the same way with for computers.
Some researchers still have to access the World Wide Web by way of
modem.  Have you tried this lately?  Imagine if your T.V. took two to three
minutes to load a channel.  And imagine if you had thousands and
thousands of channels to obtain information from, and this information
just happened to move from channel to channel.

I'm sorry, but having a computer is not like having a T.V.  For the most
part, my T.V. works just fine.  I turn it on when I want, and turn it off
when I want.  My computer, on the other hand, needs to be rebooted at
least 5 times a day!  Since I am on a server, this means I am unable to
use my computer on the average at least 10 minutes a day.  Today, I
was down for nearly 30 minutes due to server problems.

I hate to say it, but not every researcher at our institution has a computer
that will allow them to connect to the World Wide Web.  Heck, many are
lucky if they can receive their email on a timely basis.  Is this a crime?
Why should these researchers be left out?  Is this what the World Wide
Web is all about? Is this what research is all about?

Don't get me wrong.  Our institution is trying to get up to speed, but the
process is slow, and very expensive.  A computer, unfortunately, is still
much more expensive than buying a T.V.

I agree with your statement that "TV and computers don't hurt
children....lack of reading books and lack of time talking with adults hurts
children."  What will hurt our children even worse, however, is if the
government decides that only those researchers with top-of-the-line
computers are the only ones that can help in the fight against AIDS, or
work to find a cure for cancer.

Who decided that only those researchers with top-of-the-line computers
need to know about what's happening in the world of research?

By the way, I do not see Nazi's when I hear the word "efficiency."  You
must realize that in this case, however, efficiency is a two-way street.
Will this system actually be more efficient for our researchers?

Mike Luczak
Grants Administrator
Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center
xxxxxx@wpogate.slu.edu
Phone:  314-577-8108
Fax:  314-268-5551

>>> Charlie Hathaway <xxxxxx@RF1.CPMC.COLUMBIA.EDU>
10/02/97 12:38pm >>>
Concerning NIH moves away from email and FEDIX,
Mr. Luczak wrote:
"How can these moves by NIH to do away with the electronic version of
the NIH GUIDE and possibly the FEDIX Opportunity Alert system be
viewed as anything less than discrimination?  For some researchers,
NIH posting to the NIH GUIDE to the web will be just as helpful as posting
the announcements on a bulletin board in Washington, DC."

Perhaps those researchers are also the ones complaining about lack of
space in the parking lot to tie up their horses.
I am as distressed as many are about the effects of "technology" on our
psyche and culture.  However, the internet is not evil and is a very
efficient way to present lots of information.  I have pity for those who
see Nazis when they here the word "efficiency".  If we remain (??)
critical thinkers but accepting of economic realities, the best parts of
technology can and should be incorporated into our lives.  TV and
computers don't hurt children....lack of reading books and lack of time
talking with adults hurts children.
Charlie Hathaway
Charles Hathaway, Ph.D.
Grants Development
Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene
New York State Psychiatric Institute
722 W. 168th St.
New York, NY 10032
(212) 543-5807