Clive Thompson
Clive Thompson
almost brains came help internet people problem remember syndrome terrible
Tip-of-the-tongue syndrome is when people almost remember something but need a computer, or someone else, to help them find it. The problem is, our brains have always been terrible at remembering details. They were like that way before the Internet came along.
character world way
The humanitarian developers behind World of Warcraft have also discovered a way to bribe gamers into turning off their computers and going outside. If you log off for a few days, your character will be more rested when you resume playing, a mode that temporarily speeds up your leveling.
absolutely electric interwoven notice older processes reason
The only reason we don't notice how absolutely interwoven our thinking processes have become with older technologies - pencils, paper, electric light, penicillin, fire - is that they're old, so we've ceased to notice their effects.
cities cultural deeply dynamic fantastic flock nor people replaced seductive sorts useful
I don't think the Internet has replaced cities in any significant way, nor really could it. Cities are dynamic - and deeply seductive for the people who flock there - because they broker all sorts of fantastic and useful connections, cultural and economic and social.
people tools computer
More than any other modern tool, computers are a total mystery to their users. Most people never open them up to fix them or to see how they work.
best biases close digital harder judge minds people search work works
Transactive memory works best when you have a sense of how your partners' minds work - where they're strong, where they're weak, where their biases lie. I can judge that for people close to me. But it's harder with digital tools, particularly search engines.
linear requires textbook
A textbook requires a consistent sense of style and a linear structure, hallmarks of a single authorial presence. An encyclopedia doesn't.
began boxes computer explode huge industry macintosh program until
The computer industry began with home-brew boxes that everyone had to program for themselves, but that was a huge hassle. The computer revolution didn't explode until the first Macintosh arrived, with its point-and-click simplicity.
code commercial engineer figure illegal machine reverse source
If you, or any public-spirited programmer, wanted to figure out what the software on your machine is really doing, tough luck. It's illegal to reverse engineer the source code of commercial software to find out how it works.
cheap concept design exchange forgo lovely model
The genius idea of industrialism was the concept of the Model T: In exchange for something cheap and well-made, we'd forgo unique, lovely design.
afford cannot climate distort engage facing gain managers money pundits science serious sort temporary
Politicians or pundits can distort or cherry-pick climate science any way they want to try and gain temporary influence with the public. But any serious industrialist who's facing 'climate exposure' - as it's now called by money managers - cannot afford to engage in that sort of self-delusion.
improves
No consumer product improves more drastically, year after year, than the computer.
people
The amount of writing that people do online is astonishing, and historically unprecedented.
artistic huge seems truly work
Truly huge artistic collaboration on the Internet seems to work only if the gang has a well-defined objective.