COMMENT ⊗   VALID 00002 PAGES
C REC  PAGE   DESCRIPTION
C00001 00001
C00002 00002	.require "let.pub" source
C00006 ENDMK
C⊗;
.require "let.pub" source
∂AIL Dr. Theodore D. Sterling↓Computing Science Program
↓Simon Fraser University↓Burnaby, B.C.
↓Canada V5A 1S6∞

Dear Dr. Sterling:

I do not think our correspondence appropriate for SIGART.  There is another
SIG (SIGSOC) interested in computers and society that might do.  

I do not think CAI is a complete failure.  In particular, Suppes' %2Old
church slavonic, Bulgarian%* and %2 LISP%* CAI courses are in reasonably steady
use.  The first two allow the courses to be offered to single students and the
third was used in my LISP course as an optional supplement with about
two thirds of the students using it to some extent.

You are correct that my papers make assertions in single sentences that
require extended justifications.  My excuse is that the points are
peripheral to the main thrust of the paper.  Nevertheless, they have
aroused irritation and I think that next time I will surround each of
them by an admission that other people have different opinions and
that a more extended justification of my opinion is required to
convince people who don't already agree.

I think that you will buy a home terminal long before it offers instant
access to the contents of the U.S. Library of Congress, but getting
started with home terminals is thought to be a problem.  I am not sure it
really is a problem, because people are buying and building home
computers in large numbers without any real applications at all.
Message systems and correspondence files will keep these people using
their computers and the first time airline reservation systems and telephone
directories become accessable, a new large group of users will be attracted
Fortunately, there are applications that do not require even one
person in 10,000 to be a subscriber for their utility.

I can see many reasons for tolerating inefficiency, dual standards  and
confusion in particular cases, and finding them unavoidable in others,
lest worse befall us, but I cannot see them as virtues.
.sgn