Class 52: Computerizing the Workplace

Held Friday, May 5, 2000

Overview

Today we turn to some otentially-outdated information on computers in the workplace.

Question 52 for discussion today: How have your views on losing jobs to computers changed (or not changed) from reading this article?

Question 53 for discussion Monday: What are the criteria for determining if numbers are random numbers?

Notes

• Jeff has posted a rough outline of Monday's class.
• Read Dewdney 8 for Monday.
• Suppose a student sent me a link to an annoying JavaScript example that popped up 150 dialog boxes. What should my response be?

Contents

• Introduction
• The American Work Week
• Everything Else

Summary

Introduction

To be determined.

The American Work Week

• 1. Shifts in working trends over time
• 2. Attitudes towards technology
  • A. Luddites
  • B. Farmers
• 3. Technology's "job-destroying potential"
• 4. Unemployment- where do we stand now?
• 5. Impact on working class
• 6. Future of the service sector
• 7. Computer monitoring at work
• 8. Safety concerns
• 9. Productivity- trade-offs

Everything Else

And anything else that comes up! Including all the implications for this chapter in a capitalist society.