Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Computers are temples, but tablets are servants

There is an interesting psychological difference between "real" computers (mainframes, servers, and PCs) and the smartphones and tablets we use for mobile computing.

In short, "real" computers are temples of worship, and mobile computers are servants.

Mainframe computers have long seen the metaphor of religion, with their attendants referenced as "high priests". Personal computers have not seen such comparisons, but I think the "temple" metaphor holds. (Or perhaps we should say "shrine".)

"Real" computers are non-mobile. They are fixed in place. When we use a computer, we go to the computer. The one exception is laptops, which we can consider to be a portable shrine.

Mobile computers, in contrast, come with us. We do not go to them; they are nearby and ready for our requests.

Tablets and smartphones are intimate. They come with us to the grocery store, the exercise club, and the library. Mainframes of course do not come with us anywhere, and personal computers stay at home. Laptops occasionally come with us, but only with significant effort. (Carry bag, laptop, power adapter and cable, extra VGA cable, VGA-DVI adapter, and goodness-know-what.)

It's nice to visit a temple, but it's nicer to have a ready and capable servant.

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