The Great Divide

David Coogan brings up some good points about technology's lack of neutrality, warning that we can't ignore the social aspect of it as if it "somehow came before someone's intentions to enable some minds to do some things" (qtd. 61). There was a time when computer technology was only usable by the technologically proficient, and even when programming knowledge wasn't necessary, the DOS commands were enough to scare people off. It seems the more the technology interface has been "dumbed down," the more sophisticated and useful the technology has become in terms of allowing people to access it and make rhetorical choices in their use of it. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense, but it seems to relate to his point that there is "a 'Great Divide' between university experts and lay persons" (62) in terms of access and exclusion. However technology is used, someone in some place of power is deciding who gets to join the conversation and what is allowed to be said.