لباس‌های مجازی امپراتور: حقیقت برهنه دربارهٔ فرهنگ اینترنت

A skeptic by nature, a writer and teacher more at home with ballpoint pens than computer programs, Dinty W. Moore wanted to find out for himself if the much-touted Internet and the electronic culture it has spawned is really going to be the Next Big Thing, or whether it's the emperor's new clothes. This is not a how-to guide, a giddy net-head's online magical mystery tour, or a binaries-in-the-sky futurist treatise. Instead, this book tells it like it is about the Internet. Anyone who's asked, Who's there? What am I missing? and What is it all about? will find Moore's good-natured skepticism a welcome break from the explosion of wide-eyed techno-hype raging all around us. "Moore is far and away the best pure writer of the 'Wired School.' He's like the Stage Manager poking his head in around the set of 'Our Town.' Funny that it took the arrival of this commonsensical outsider to finally put a real human face on the digital world."--San Jose Mercury-News. Read more... Abstract: A skeptic by nature, a writer and teacher more at home with ballpoint pens than computer programs, Dinty W. Moore wanted to find out for himself if the much-touted Internet and the electronic culture it has spawned is really going to be the Next Big Thing, or whether it's the emperor's new clothes. This is not a how-to guide, a giddy net-head's online magical mystery tour, or a binaries-in-the-sky futurist treatise. Instead, this book tells it like it is about the Internet. Anyone who's asked, Who's there? What am I missing? and What is it all about? will find Moore's good-natured skepticism a welcome break from the explosion of wide-eyed techno-hype raging all around us. "Moore is far and away the best pure writer of the 'Wired School.' He's like the Stage Manager poking his head in around the set of 'Our Town.' Funny that it took the arrival of this commonsensical outsider to finally put a real human face on the digital world."--San Jose Mercury-News The Emperor's Virtual ClothesThe Naked Truth about Internet CultureBy Dinty W. MooreAlgonquin Books of Chapel HillCopyright © 1995 Dinty W. Moore.All rights reserved.ISBN: 1-56512-096-5Chapter OneHOW DO WE GET ON?A Nontechnical Technical ExplanationHere is the truth: there is no Information Superhighway, thoughit pretty much already exists. Consider that a Zen koan. In point of fact, Information Superhighway is just a bureaucrat'sbuzz phrase. No one is even sure who first used it, thoughmany people have accused Vice President A1 Gore. The termInformation Superhighway is applied with stunning abandonthese days, often erroneously, to mean just about anythinglinked to a wire--your telephone, your cable television, yourdoorbell. This is part of the confusion many people face, andsurely part of their apprehension. Moreover, the term Information Superhighway is meant tosound exciting and fast, but to many it seems distressingly ominous,like a place the average man might get run over, and seriouslyhurt. There is no Superhighway, never was, and there may or maynot ever be one. What exists is something else, a vast global networkof computers sending messages back and forth. Some callthis network the Internet, though that is not entirely accurateeither. The Internet is only a part of the whole. Beyond the Internet,there are commercial services such as CompuServe, AmericaOnline, Prodigy, and others, which are, to varying degrees,linked "on-line" to the Internet. Beyond those, there are thousandsof smaller entities, often called BBSs (Bulletin Board Systems),some of which are linked to the Internet, and some ofwhich are not. Sound confusing? It is. Many people just say Internet and leave it at that, since theInternet is certainly the area where most of the activity takesplace. Others have begun to use an abbreviation of sorts, "theNet, to indicate the whole shebang. Many people just throw uptheir hands. Even the experts disagree on terminology, I'm afraid, but hereis what you really need to know: A network is two or more computers electronically connectedso that they can communicate back and forth. The Internetis made up of an estimated twenty thousand of thesecomputer networks, all networked together, mostly by phoneline, linking millions of individual computers and resulting inone big, unruly network of networks. Think for a moment of an enormous lace doily, like the oneon the back of my aunt Philomena's Victorian sofa, but this oneis draped across the planet, with each knot representing a differentcomputer. Now imagine that the lace doily conceals a billiontiny wires, and these wires can send words or pictures back andforth between the knots at breakneck speed, almost as fast as wecan type them in. The Net is a little like a gigantic lace doily that glows. The Netis what most people mean when they say Information Superhighway.The Net is the home of the electronic culture, if such athing exists. The Net is already in place, and working. But then there are the futurists, those people who can't stopliving for tomorrow. Having perhaps read that little white cardin the Smithsonian, the futurists envision someday linking upthese communicating computers to your cable television wires,adding connections to the ATM programs at your bank, splicingin the major airline reservation systems and all those peskyshop-at-home catalog companies, and eventually tying all ofthis into your electronic garage-door opener. That wouldrequire a very large and intricate doily indeed, and whether itwill ever really happen is anybody's guess, and many a person'snightmare. So who is using this Net, and what are they doing?The Internet, this amazing new thing, is actually over twenty-fiveyears old. It began as something called ARPANET and was forquite some time the exclusive domain of research scientists, mostof them housed in big universities, many of them working for theDepartment of Defense. The network grew, by leaps and bounds,eventually going overseas, pulling in more and more scientists,then graduate students, and eventually just plain people. Today, many of these same researchers are still around, stillon the networks, as are their colleagues and many of their formerstudents. If you have a technical question about software orphysics or molecular biology, the Internet is still a very goodplace to ask it. But the balance is shifting. Mike Miskulin, a regular contributor to an electronic discussiongroup focusing on physics, notes that "the average discussionhas plummeted. Where at one time you could find anumber of 'serious, discussions, now [the physics group1 isa haven for crackpots and endless [conversations] on faster-than-lighttravel" Everyday folks with plebian interests are more the norm now.Part of this is due to the popularity of commercial "accessproviders" such as America Online and CompuServe--thesefirms are doing for the Net what McDonald's did for the cheeseburger.Part of it is simply word of mouth--access to the Netcan be interesting, and it can be fun. The number of currentInternet users is estimated to be jumping fast-to 20 million, or30 million, or 40 million--as with any worthwhile statistic, noone can reaDy agree. What everyone does agree on is that the number of users isrocketing skyward. More and more newcomers are using theInternet to find an enormous amount of information, some ofthat information crucial, technical, or fascinating, much of itjust silly. They look at pictures on their computers, sometimespictures of comets crashing into distant planets, oftentimes picturesof distant women without any clothes. They join othercomputer users with similar interests--gardening, ice cream,destroying the earth--and then trade messages about that topic.They send one another electronic letters, some angry, somefriendly, some short, some long. The Internet and the related networks that make up thegreater Net are used for just about everything under the sun--frommere socializing to support and therapy, from chat abouthobbies to serious research, from commerce to crime. What isdone on the Internet simply mirrors what is done off the Internet,the only difference being that on the Internet it aD happenselectronically, and very, very fast. How do I get on?Shouldn't you finish this book first, see if you really want toget on? Well, I was impatient, too, fighting my way onto the Internetbefore I was even sure how to spell it. I don't do scientificresearch, so that was certainly not my reason. Mainly, I was curious.It seemed more and more people were talking about thisNet thing, and I didn't want to be the one person who got leftbehind. So I bought a modem (a piece of computer equipment that Ireally don't understand) and held my breath as I hooked themodem into my antiquated computer. I plugged a cord from mymodem into my phone jack, then held my breath again. All inall, it took me about a day and a half before I could get it towork. I am among the lucky ones actuary, because I get free Internetaccess through the university where I teach. You see, to usethe Internet, your own computer has to be physically connectedup somehow--usually ova the telephone. It than has to call aplace that lets you hook into the Internet directly, or through a"host" computer--some other computer somewhere that isalready deaf in--and that computer connects you to the Net.Think of the host computer as an old-fashioned switchboardoperator maybe, the one who used to patch through your calL Frankly, the way it all works gets dull and technical, but hereis the bottom line: you need to find someone who will let youhook on, and there are numerous ways to do this. You could get a university account simply by going back tocollege. Almost every college and university of any size is linkedto the Internet now, and increasingly they are linking up all theirstudents. Depending on the tuition, this might be an expensiveoption, but you would also get to skip classes and drink enormousquantities of beer. Short of that, however, and assuming you don't work in a biggovernment office, or at Hewlett-Packard, IBM, or some otherhigh-tech firm with a big computer and free access for all itsemployees, you will probably need to look for an Internet "accessprovider." These access providers come in all different sizes and shapes.Your main choice will be between one of the major national services,such as America Online, Prodigy, CompuServe, or Delphi,or one of a host of usually local, smaller, lower-cost accessproviders. They offer a range of services, and differing levels ofInternet access, and this all changes from month to month, soyour best bet is to ask around. For now, know that the big difference between the majornational services and the low-cost, no-frills local providers isoften the "interface"--you will have a choice between a "command-lineinterface" and a "GUI." (GUI is pronounced "gooey,"because it is sweet and probably addictive; it is short for GraphicUser Interface, just one of an approximate 216 million intimidatingbits of technical language invented by those who programcomputers for a living--one more reason why computerdweebs can't get dates.) Translated for the common man, GUIand command-line interface are just fancy names for "the stuffyou see on your screen." After you connect with a local, low-cost access provider, forinstance, you might see this: ===> This is a command line. In other words, you will need to typea "command" (Hint: either type "menu" or "help," or shut off themachine and go get coffee.) The major on-line services such as Prodigy and CompuServe,on the other hand, are quite different. They are not the Internet,strictly speaking, they are simply companies with big computersthat are willing, for a fee, to connect you to the Internet,or to one of their other fee-based information features--manyof which are like the Internet, only tamer. The big commercialproviders will even send you free software and information, andgive you free time to fool around on-line (a tactic they learnedfrom drug dealers maybe?). They are very popular and profitable.When you connect with most of these firms, instead of avague command line, you will see pictures on your computerscreen, and these pictures, known as icons, will have labels like"Go Shopping, or "Go Read Sports News," or "Go to Jail, GoDirectly to Jail, Do Not Pass `Go,' Send Us $200." All you have todo is point your computer mouse at one of these icons, click abutton, and wait for things to start happening. And if even that seems too difficult, the newest trend in GUIsis little pictures. Apple's e-World, for instance, presents picturesof buildings (a bank, a shopping mall, an "Arts & Leisure Pavilion"),and you can just point at the picture. This will allow peoplewho can't even read to use the Internet, though what the willdo when the get there is entirely unclear. (And a bit frightening.) I know, I know, it all sounds daunting. The jargon is thick andnew, the hardware and software commands can be confusing, noone agrees whether it is better to pay one of the big guys, savemoney with one of the small guys, or stay on the sofa and justwatch television. The good news, though, is that the people whodo know how to hook up modems, how to make those modemsdial up a big computer, how to wade through-the command linesand the GUIs and actually find the Internet, tend to be veryeager to show other people. Perhaps your brother-in-law knowsall about it and will hook you up for a beer and a sandwich? Ifthat fails, buy one of the many technical guides in your bookstore'scomputer section. There are a kazillion of them, andprobably one that is specifically written for your computer andyour situation. Yes. but if I do get on, can I ever get off?This is a deliciously ambiguous question, given the extent towhich sexual and erotic issues are discussed on the Internet, butthe simple answer, for the moment, is "of course " All you have todo is reach along the side of your computer, find the big redpower button, and push it down. That gets you out of there veryfast. In the future, the answer may become more fuzzy. Right now,the Internet is a habit and habitat of choice. Ten years from now,however, you may ultimately need to be connected to do yourbanking, to watch the five hundred new channels of future television,or to do your job. lust as the average employer wouldprobably give you one of those funny sidelong glances right nowif you announced that you didn't have a telephone, it may betrue in the very near future that not having Information Superhighwaywires running right into your living room will be akinto living like Fred Flintstone. The pressure will likely be on you to be wired and if youbelieve the doomsayers, those wires will be linked directly tomajor marketing firms and the government. They will knowwhat you read, when you read it, what you watch and how often,what you buy and what you spend for it, to whom you send electronicmail, when you last visited a doctor, your college grades,ant perhaps what is in the electronic letters you send. This&sure scenario worries libertarians, privacy activists, and paranoidsa great deal. It would probably worry Thoreau. As for myself, I don't really know what the future holds(though I would like a three-week vacation). What I do know isthat, whatever happens, the future is likely to be very interesting.And for many people, including those you are about to meet, itis already here. The Emperor's Virtual Clothes Offers A Funny, Cranky, No-nonsense Tour Of The Internet World For Those People Who Aren't Sure They Want An E-mail Address, And Aren't Certain What Good It Will Do Them. From Flame Wars To Spamming, From Cybersex To Hackers And Terrorists, Author Dinty Moore (someone More At Home With Ballpoint Pens Than Computer Keyboards) Explains How He Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Electronic Culture. As Moore Makes His Whimsical Way Through The Twists And Turns Of The Internet, The Web, And Other Nooks And Crannies Of The Wired World, He Discovers An Unlikely Spiritual Guide: The Quintessential American Crank, Henry David Thoreau. Inspired By Thoreau's Distrust Of The Newfangled, Moore Sets Out To Simplify, Simplify, Simplify - To Boil Down All The Technology And Innovation Until It Makes Sense. If You're Intimidated By The Jargon And Whizbang Gadgetry Of The Internet, He Helps You See That Much Of What Goes On There Is More Silly Than Threatening. If You Are Interested And Excited By The Prospect Of Being Wired, You'll Find His Commonsense Questions Both Entertaining And Provocative. How Do We Get On? -- In Search Of Useful Uses -- Public Relationships -- My Brain Turns To Mush -- Digital Hugs -- Hanging Over The Electronic Fence -- The Zippo Chapter -- Spam, Spam, Spam, And Spam -- Why We Pay Our Civil Servants So Much Money -- The Incredible Shrinking Globe -- The Night Thoreau Had Cybersex -- Big Brother And The Bad Boys -- And If Your Head Has Somehow Not Yet Exploded, Let Me Briefly Discuss The Future -- Back To Nature -- Appendix : An Internet Jargon Handbook. By Dinty W. Moore. A skeptic by nature, a writer & teacher more at home with ballpoint pens than computer programs, Dinty W. Moore wanted to find out for himself if the much-touted Internet & the electronic culture it has spawned is really going to be the Next Big Thing, or whether it's the emperor's new clothes. This is not a how-to guide, a giddy net-head's online magical mystery tour, or a binaries-in-the-sky futurist treatise. Instead, this book tells it like it is about the Internet. Anyone who's asked, Who's there? What am I missing? & What is it all about? will find Moore's good-natured skepticism a welcome break from the explosion of wide-eyed techno-hype raging all around us. "Moore is far & away the best pure writer of the 'Wired School.' He's like the Stage Manager poking his head in around the set of 'Our Town.' Funny that it took the arrival of this commonsensical outsider to finally put a real human face on the digital world." — San Jose Mercury News Dinty W. Moore is the founder & editor of Brevity & is the director of Ohio University’s BA, MA, & PhD in creative writing programs. He has authored various books of literary nonfiction as well as textbooks & craft guides, most notably Dear Mister Essay Writer Guy, & his memoir, Between Panic & Desire, won the GrubStreet National Book Prize. Moore has been published in Harpers, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Utne Reader, Salon, Okey-Panky, the Southern Review, the Georgia Review, & the Los Angeles Review of Books. He is a frequent speaker & teacher at writers’ conferences. "A skeptic by nature, a writer and teacher more at home with ballpoint pens than computer programs, Dinty W. Moore wanted to find out for himself if the much-touted Internet and the electronic culture it has spawned is really going to be the Next Big Thing, or whether it's the emperor's new clothes. This is not a how-to guide, a giddy net-head's online magical mystery tour, or a binaries-in-the-sky futurist treatise. Instead, this book tells it like it is about the Internet. Anyone who's asked, Who's there? What am I missing? and What is it all about? will find Moore's good-natured skepticism a welcome break from the explosion of wide-eyed techno-hype raging all around us. "Moore is far and away the best pure writer of the 'Wired School.' He's like the Stage Manager poking his head in around the set of 'Our Town.' Funny that it took the arrival of this commonsensical outsider to finally put a real human face on the digital world."--San Jose Mercury-News."-- Provided by publisher