Although Mann presents a few premises to exacerbate his point, I can't help but wonder what his motives are in doing so. It seems to me that he is a researcher from the pre-computer days when tactile, physical searching through book stacks was not only the best way, but the only way. Although admitting the computer seraches are quicker and can be more effective, the advantage of "discovery by serendipity or recognition" is far more valuable than the efficiency of the computer search (49). What he's done here is to the advantage of of the computer search, the way he does not prefer, and turned into an advantage for his favored means of gathering information.
Having statements like"when you search the library catalog, you are not searching the full texts of the actual books; you are searching only catalog records of the books" it seems as though Mann is making an argument for the tactile in that a computer will only give out information it has been programed into it (48). Obviously this does not allow for serendipitous spontaneity he has based his premise on.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Wow see when I read this one, I just thought he was saying we could not get it all from computers. I never thought maybe he was writing prior to the computer technology we had today. He may just be old school. But if I am at a loss in my research I will probably try the old fashioned way too. Thank you for your insights I greatly appreciate them.
Post a Comment