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Computer
Religious War |
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The following excerpts are from an English translation of Umberto Eco's
back-page column, "La bustina di Minerva," in the Italian News weekly Espresso,
September 30, 1994.
..."Insufficient consideration has been given to the new underground religious war
which is modifying the modern world. It's an old idea of mine, but I find that whenever I
tell people about it they immediately agree with me.
"The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh computer and
users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is
Catholic and that DOS is protestant. Indeed, the Macintosh is counter-reformist and has
been influenced by the 'ratio-studiorum' of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly,
conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step to reach -- if not
the Kingdom of Heaven -- the moment in which their document is printed. It is catechistic:
the essence of revelation is dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons. Everyone
has a right to salvation.
"DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free interpretation of scripture,
demands difficult personal decisions, imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user, and
takes for granted the idea that not all can reach salvation. To make the system work you
need to interpret the program yourself: a long way from the baroque community of
revelers,
the user is closed within the loneliness of his own inner torment.
"You may object that, with the passage to Windows, the DOS universe has come to
resemble more closely the counter-reformist tolerance of the Macintosh. It's true: Windows
represents an Anglican-style schism, big ceremonies in the cathedral, but there is always
the possibility of a return to DOS to change things in accordance with bizarre decisions;
when it comes down to it, you can decide to allow women and gays to be ministers if you
want to....
"And machine code, which lies beneath both systems (or environments, if you prefer)?
Ah, that is to do with the Old Testament, and is talmudic and cabalistic..."
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