A conservative view of the community information utility
Laurence I. Press · 1973
The computer may be compared with the clock as an artifact capable of altering man's life and manner of viewing and experiencing the world. The growing literature on the community information utility (CIU) calls an analogy to mind. I am reminded of the clock in the cathedral of Lund, Sweden, where I once lived. It is a typical medieval clock that tells the time, date, courses of the sun and moon, etc. Furthermore, at noon (1 P.M. on Sundays) and 3 P.M. mechanical knights clash on top of the clock and three wise men appear in the wings to pay homage to Mary and Jesus while an organ plays "In dulci jubilo". Clearly the 14th century builders of astronomical clocks were interested in pushing their new technology to the hilt and quickly putting as many applications as feasible on the town clock.