Klarinet Archive - Posting 000634.txt from 2002/09

From: w9wright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] My attempt to formalize (more comment please?)
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 13:36:02 -0400

..... also in jest, but only partly so:

When discussing the 'proper' instrument, we should think about "leakage"
from one aspect of our culture to another. Portability and
universality are high virtues that are drummed into children's brains as
prime attributes of good morality and useful design:

Two examples, one from time immemorial and the other from modern
technology:

Human rights and democracy are portable to any biological device that is
called "man", regardless of hardware details, including even the wiring
of our brains.

The best computer code is portable to any digital computer regardless of
word size, instruction set, monitor resolution, and so forth.

All of us can summon "Yeah, but the difference is...." rationalizations.
However, demanding absolute sacrifice of freedom and portability is in
some ways swimming against the Western cultural current.

Cheers,
Bill

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