[Fists] The Threat of "Invisible" Technology

[Dan Romanchik]

The problem Tenner describes in the article is well known, especially among
those of us who are somewhat familiar with technology. In fact, it is even
worse than he describes. Lately, there has been a big push to "outsource"
technology jobs, including engineering and computer programming jobs, to
off-shore contractors. No longer is globalization a burden that our
manufacturing workers must bear, but the technologists are now also starting
to feel the pinch. And as those jobs move overseas, so does the know-how.

I have a degree in electronics engineering, but if I had any children, I
honestly don't think that I'd advise them to follow in my footsteps.
Business conditions being what they are, I don't think that the electronics
industry is set for a comeback in the U.S. anytime soon. Increasingly,
electronics products are going to be designed and built in Asia, leaving
little opportunity for young people here to work in those fields.

So, the "black box" syndrome is going to bite us in two ways: not only is
the general public going to understand less and less of the technology,
we're going to have fewer and fewer engineers that understand it. Chew on
that for a while.

73!

Dan KB6NU
=============================================
Treasurer, ARROW Comm. Assn. (www.w8pgw.org)
HF CW op (FISTS #9342)
Ham radio bookseller (www.QTB.Com/hamradio/)
Read my ham radio blog at www.blurty.com/~kb6nu .



----- Original Message -----
From: <jeff@ke9v.com>
To: "FISTS" <Fists@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 10:06 AM
Subject: [Fists] The Threat of "Invisible" Technology


> FISTS,
>
> Excuse me if this is a tad off-topic, but I thought some of you might
> enjoy this article from the Washington Post and available on the Web.
> In discussing the recent blackout of the US East coast, the author
> makes some salient points that the days when we actually understood
> and tinkered with the technology that we use is long since behind us.
> As hams who still build and repair our own gear, the writers point
> isn't 100% true, however, as electronics gets smaller and more
> integrated we too are slipping into the world of the "black box".
>
> I like this particular quote:
>
> "Ironically, while our daily lives have never been more imbued with
> technology, we may have reached the height of our technological
> engagement as long ago as the 1920s with its generation of hands-on
> tinkerers. Machines were cruder then, but more open. Kids built
> crystal radio receivers and learned Morse code. Typists developed a
> touch and rhythm to match their machines. Driving meant grappling with
> clutches and chokes, and the curious took their cars apart to
> understand how they worked."
>
> Read the entire article (and utter "Amen") here:
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34960-2003Aug23.html
>
> 73 es CU on the bands.
>
> --
> Jeff, KE9V
>
>
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