Social Issues in Computing

Social Issues in Computing provides information pertinent to the social implications of technology. This book presents the highly dynamic interaction between computers and society.

Organized into 13 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the problems associated with computers and attempts to indicate some of the viewpoints, assumptions, and biases from which the discussion is undertaken. This text then examines in detail the effects of computers on society ad describes the extent of computer use. Other chapters consider the disparities in computer use between various countries, as well as the degree to which various countries are able to share in the market for computer products and services. This book discusses as well the factors that led to the rapid and widespread adoption of computers. The final chapter deals with the effects of automation, computers, and technology.

This book is a valuable resource for computer science students and research workers.

Inhalt

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Problems and Issues

1.1. The Spectrum

1.2. Issues

1.3. Viewpoints

General Bibliography

Chapter 2. Computer Use: Extent and Growth

2.1. The Number of Installations

2.2. Other Measures

2.3. The Change in Quality

2.4. Projections

2.5. Disparities

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 3. Computer Use: Where and Why

3.1. Areas of Use

3.2. Motivating Forces

3.3. Limiting Factors

3.4. Computers in Developing Countries

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 4. Files, Data Banks, and Information Systems

4.1. System Requirements

4.2. Organization

4.3. Complexity

4.4. Record Linkage

4.5. System Security

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 5. Information Systems and Privacy

5.1. Personal Data

5.2. Privacy and Information Gathering

5.3. Data Banks and Dossiers

5.4. Legal Guarantees to Privacy

5.5. Balances

5.6. Proposals and Actions

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 6. Surveying and Predicting

6.1. Surveys about Computers

6.2. Technological Change and Forecasting

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 7. Systems, Models, and Simulations

7.1. Computers and Planning

7.2. The Systems Approach

7.3. Types of Models

7.4. A Mathematical Simulation

7.5. Discrete Event Simulation

7.6. A Stochastic Discrete Event Simulation

7.7. Social Systems

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 8. Computer Capabilities and Limitations

8.1. Artificial Intelligence

8.2. Thought Processes

8.3. Computer-Assisted Instruction

8.4. Machine Limitations

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 9. Computers and Employment

9.1. Technology, Productivity, and the Labor Force

9.2. Productivity and Automation: Mitigating Factors

9.3. Automation and Skill Levels

9.4. Automation and Attitudes

9.5. Some Specific Considerations

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 10. The Distribution of Computer Products and Services

10.1. Antitrust Actions

10.2. Communications

10.3. Protection of Software

10.4. Standards

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 11. Shifts in Power

11.1. Information as Power

11.2. Centralization versus Decentralization

11.3. Computers in the Political Process

11.4. Computers and the Individual

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 12. Professionalization and Responsibility

12.1. Professional Societies

12.2. Professional Imperatives

12.3. Social Responsibilities

Bibliography

Problems and Further Work

Chapter 13. Values, Technology, and Computers

13.1. The Nature of Values

13.2. Technologies and Values

13.3. Leisure

13.4. Value Conflict

13.5. Some Directions

Bibliography

Appendix. Statistical Tests

Index