[SIGCIS-Members] Is Unix racist?

[Henry E Lowood]

This is not a direct comment on McPherson's article, other than a bit at the end. More generally, I just wanted to underscore the importance of modularity as a concept for computing and related fields.  It makes sense to explore its various technological and cultural contexts fully, and especially important to recognize their plurality.

One thread - my recollection is that Tara does not mention it - is modularity as a term that arose out of the mix of management and computing research c. 1960.  One name probably suffices to identify this area: Herbert Simon.  This area also touches, as in Simon's own work, with biological research. It emphasizes modularity as an approach to dealing with complexity, rather than division/segregation.  

Another thread worth mentioning is the literature on modularity as a core concept in historical technology studies.  I am thinking of Brian Arthur (The Nature of Technology) and others. His discussion reveals ways in which a kind of modular thinking is deeply engrained in various engineering disciplines, such as aircraft design, for example.

Another context within which I am working is the history of computer game technology, specifically game engines, where concepts like modularity are critical, along with similar concepts such as "abstraction layers." 

My point is really very simple: Modularity is a big, important topic. There is plenty of room under that tent for a whole range of interpretive dives.  

BTW this discussion reminds me (thus showing my age) of the reactions to Paul Forman's controversial "Weimar culture, causality, and quantum theory: adaptation by German physicists and mathematicians to a hostile environment," which first appeared in 1971. Not saying McPherson's argument is as deeply thought-through and documented, but the elevator-pitch version of the two papers would be quite similar, though for different disciplines and contexts.

I hope that I did not duplicate points made by others - if so, apologies.

Henry

Henry Lowood, PhD
Curator for History of Science & Technology; Film & Media Collections
HSSG, Green Library, 557 Escondido Mall
Stanford University Libraries
Stanford, California 94305-6066
Email: lowood at stanford.edu
Web: https://people.stanford.edu/lowood/

-----Original Message-----
From: Members [mailto:members-bounces at lists.sigcis.org] On Behalf Of mariann unterluggauer
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2015 10:39 AM
To: members at lists.sigcis.org
Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Is Unix racist?

hi,

i admit, i haven't read the paper, but i have read this thread.
as the word "race" appears several times, i feel the need  to make it clear that  there is no "race". "race" doesn't exist.
not in the sense you are using it, and i doubt you want to tell me something about  "the act of running" or "contest of speed".

all the best,
mariann