Here is a perspective from India. In the 1970s, India was hobbled by lack of technology, especially computer technology, due largely to the Indian government's restrictive practices (i.e. drive for self-sufficiency, etc). In the late 1970s and early 1980s The government woke up to the fact that all was not going well, and decided to allow the private sector to manufacture small microcomputers in India. Simultaneously, a Committee to improve Banking services was also set up. After analysis, the Banking Committee decided that Unix offered the most modularity that was available for FREE (without any restrictions), and which could be tailored to suit India conditions. The signal went out to the private sector to manufacture Unix-based computers. Mass training on the Unix environment took place. The O/S could be fitted into a CD, and these were used to explore various flavors of Unix. So at least as far as Indian computing is concerned, the modular as well as free (as in free beer) aspect provided Indians with the necessary high level O/S, and taught them specialized computing skills. Regards, -Ramesh --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh Subramanian, Ph.D. Gabriel Ferrucci Professor of Computer Information Systems Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT 06518. Phone: 203-582-5276 Email:rameshs@quinnipiac.edu Web: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/about/directory/faculty-detail/?Dept=16&Person=23345 & Fellow, Yale Law School - Information Society Project New Haven, CT 06511 Email: ramesh.subramanian@yale.edu Web: http://www.law.yale.edu/intellectuallife/9841.htm ________________________________________ From: Members [members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org] on behalf of Janet Abbate [abbate@vt.edu] Sent: Monday, August 17, 2015 4:57 PM To: Sigcis Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] Is Unix racist? Anyone seen this piece by Tara Mcpherson? It starts with some interesting questions, but I found the follow-through to be disappointingly ahistorical. Again and again she argues that there must be a connection between the modularity of Unix and the compartmentalization of race within American culture, but then immediately admits that she has no evidence for any direct connection. As far as I can tell, the only reason she singles out Unix is because it coincides conveniently with the US Civil Rights era. I'm curious to know what others think. "Why Are the Digital Humanities So White? or Thinking the Histories of Race and Computation." http://dhdebates.gc.cuny.edu/debates/text/29 Janet Dr. Janet Abbate Associate Professor, Science & Technology in Society Co-director, National Capital Region STS program Virginia Tech www.sts.vt.edu/ncr www.linkedin.com/groups/STS-Virginia-Tech-4565055 www.facebook.com/VirginiaTechSTS _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
"My meaning should be obvious. All institutions have limited resources that should be properly allocated to achieve the best results. Funds expended on “UNIX is racist” reduces the possible support for imparting useful knowledge to students." I would normally not respond to a such a diatribe against a scholar, but this critique makes no sense. Your meaning is not "obvious" and shows little understanding of how funding for research works. I highly doubt that this article was done under some form of external funding, unless you mean her salary, in which case she is paid for more than simply her research. Your idea of what is "useful" is also very subjective. As Matt has already discussed, this article is often used in classrooms, and although it does have its faults, they can be discussed in a civil way. If you have actual critiques of the article, that is one thing, but the attacking of a well-respected scholar without any real substance is not needed. On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 8:41 PM, Subramanian, Ramesh Prof. < Ramesh.Subramanian@quinnipiac.edu> wrote:
Here is a perspective from India. In the 1970s, India was hobbled by lack of technology, especially computer technology, due largely to the Indian government's restrictive practices (i.e. drive for self-sufficiency, etc). In the late 1970s and early 1980s The government woke up to the fact that all was not going well, and decided to allow the private sector to manufacture small microcomputers in India. Simultaneously, a Committee to improve Banking services was also set up.
After analysis, the Banking Committee decided that Unix offered the most modularity that was available for FREE (without any restrictions), and which could be tailored to suit India conditions. The signal went out to the private sector to manufacture Unix-based computers. Mass training on the Unix environment took place. The O/S could be fitted into a CD, and these were used to explore various flavors of Unix.
So at least as far as Indian computing is concerned, the modular as well as free (as in free beer) aspect provided Indians with the necessary high level O/S, and taught them specialized computing skills.
Regards, -Ramesh
--------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh Subramanian, Ph.D. Gabriel Ferrucci Professor of Computer Information Systems Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT 06518. Phone: 203-582-5276 Email:rameshs@quinnipiac.edu Web: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/about/directory/faculty-detail/?Dept=16&Person=23345 & Fellow, Yale Law School - Information Society Project New Haven, CT 06511 Email: ramesh.subramanian@yale.edu Web: http://www.law.yale.edu/intellectuallife/9841.htm
________________________________________ From: Members [members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org] on behalf of Janet Abbate [abbate@vt.edu] Sent: Monday, August 17, 2015 4:57 PM To: Sigcis Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] Is Unix racist?
Anyone seen this piece by Tara Mcpherson? It starts with some interesting questions, but I found the follow-through to be disappointingly ahistorical. Again and again she argues that there must be a connection between the modularity of Unix and the compartmentalization of race within American culture, but then immediately admits that she has no evidence for any direct connection. As far as I can tell, the only reason she singles out Unix is because it coincides conveniently with the US Civil Rights era. I'm curious to know what others think.
"Why Are the Digital Humanities So White? or Thinking the Histories of Race and Computation." http://dhdebates.gc.cuny.edu/debates/text/29
Janet
Dr. Janet Abbate Associate Professor, Science & Technology in Society Co-director, National Capital Region STS program Virginia Tech www.sts.vt.edu/ncr www.linkedin.com/groups/STS-Virginia-Tech-4565055 www.facebook.com/VirginiaTechSTS
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
Thanks for that perspective, Ramesh. My concern with the McPherson piece is that it relies too much on metaphor, ungrounded by the type of empirical evidence you just provided. She wants to draw an equivalence between abstraction and covert racism, but one could just as easily argue that the modularity of Unix represents a non-hierarchical and therefore more egalitarian model of society. It's difficult to know which interpretation is correct without a more concrete analysis of how race is enacted and experienced in a particular historical context. We surely need more of those, so if this piece inspires scholarship in this area, I can forgive its flaws. Janet On Aug 17, 2015, at 8:41 31PM, Subramanian, Ramesh Prof. wrote:
Here is a perspective from India. In the 1970s, India was hobbled by lack of technology, especially computer technology, due largely to the Indian government's restrictive practices (i.e. drive for self-sufficiency, etc). In the late 1970s and early 1980s The government woke up to the fact that all was not going well, and decided to allow the private sector to manufacture small microcomputers in India. Simultaneously, a Committee to improve Banking services was also set up.
After analysis, the Banking Committee decided that Unix offered the most modularity that was available for FREE (without any restrictions), and which could be tailored to suit India conditions. The signal went out to the private sector to manufacture Unix-based computers. Mass training on the Unix environment took place. The O/S could be fitted into a CD, and these were used to explore various flavors of Unix.
So at least as far as Indian computing is concerned, the modular as well as free (as in free beer) aspect provided Indians with the necessary high level O/S, and taught them specialized computing skills.
Regards, -Ramesh
--------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh Subramanian, Ph.D. Gabriel Ferrucci Professor of Computer Information Systems Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT 06518. Phone: 203-582-5276 Email:rameshs@quinnipiac.edu Web: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/about/directory/faculty-detail/?Dept=16&Person=23345 & Fellow, Yale Law School - Information Society Project New Haven, CT 06511 Email: ramesh.subramanian@yale.edu Web: http://www.law.yale.edu/intellectuallife/9841.htm
________________________________________ From: Members [members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org] on behalf of Janet Abbate [abbate@vt.edu] Sent: Monday, August 17, 2015 4:57 PM To: Sigcis Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] Is Unix racist?
Anyone seen this piece by Tara Mcpherson? It starts with some interesting questions, but I found the follow-through to be disappointingly ahistorical. Again and again she argues that there must be a connection between the modularity of Unix and the compartmentalization of race within American culture, but then immediately admits that she has no evidence for any direct connection. As far as I can tell, the only reason she singles out Unix is because it coincides conveniently with the US Civil Rights era. I'm curious to know what others think.
"Why Are the Digital Humanities So White? or Thinking the Histories of Race and Computation." http://dhdebates.gc.cuny.edu/debates/text/29
Janet
Dr. Janet Abbate Associate Professor, Science & Technology in Society Co-director, National Capital Region STS program Virginia Tech www.sts.vt.edu/ncr www.linkedin.com/groups/STS-Virginia-Tech-4565055 www.facebook.com/VirginiaTechSTS
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
participants (3)
-
Janet Abbate -
Nabeel Siddiqui -
Subramanian, Ramesh Prof.