Re: Vote of non-confidence (Feb. 12)
Your argument seems to be a variation on the information-wants-to-be-free chestnut. By extension then, we should make election results public as
soon as they are known. With electronic voting coming soon or already in place, the ongoing results can be published instantaneously. However, even with paper ballots, Canada and other democracies have made a point of not counting the votes until after polls have closed because the results themselves will influence people to vote – or not. Judge Smith made the right decision for the right reason.
Michael Blue
Mgmt systems analyst, IT services
The City of Calgary
Re: City Limitless (Feb. 6)
I don’t think that cities foster innovation – communities do. It just so happens that cities have had tighter-knit communities than do rural areas.
In the near future, we’ll see communities knit not just of geographical relationships, but also by electronic relationships. That will produce innovation that is not city related.
Don Barthel
Re: City Limitless (Feb. 6)
If you are saying that a city exists in the virtual world where we are can all be part of and receive the best of a city, I agree with you. With today’s telecommunications technology we can be part of that city feel and enjoy the huddling “”collegiate”” feel so pervasive of the information industry.
However, if you are saying that we must all physically be located in a city for things to happen, I must disagree. Our biggest problem is not having the training, experience and self-assurance in being able to conduct business at a distance. We must learn how to have the communication skills to make everyone in the desired group have that city or village feel in the IT industry.
Either way, it takes interpersonal skills to make the people feel at ease. One way is expensive to setup but brings rewards greater than one that is easy, cheap and founded in the industrial age.
Nigel Cuthbertson
Re: City Limitless (Feb. 6)
I very much enjoyed your article on the role of cities in innovation. IT is often very insular, and doesn’t pay enough attention to society around it. It was wonderful to see someone taking a larger view in an IT publication.
You might appreciate Cities in Civilization, Sir Peter Hall (New York, Pantheon, 1998). Hall looks at cities when they were most