Problems accompany cyber-world growth

Fifty years ago, the world had never heard of personal computers. Today, nearly every business, home and school cannot function without them. But with the information superhighway's incredible growth rate comes a whole host of new problems, according to Computer and Information Science Professor David Farber. Farber, the Alfred Fitler Moore professor of Telecommunications Systems, addressed the pros and cons of cyberspace in a lecture to more than 70 University students and faculty Wednesday night. "Most of us know the glories of the Internet. Now we have to wonder -- is it predestined to continue?" Farber asked the audience assembled in McClelland Hall. Though the Internet and its subsidiaries help to bridge the ever-growing communication gap in society, the government is now faced with the task of answering the impending questions of who owns what, who supplies it and what information is allowed on the Internet, Farber explained. A bill now being considered in Congress would impose strict guidelines for on-line services such as Prodigy and America Online in hopes of preventing pornographic or offensive material from reaching the public. But many officials argue that this is a direct breach of the First Amendment which guarantees the freedoms of the press and of speech. "There's a fine line between what is and isn't offensive, since something may upset one person, but not another," Farber said. Though cyberspace still warrants refinement, Farber said he sees it as becoming even more widely accessible. "Next semester, when it snows, I plan to stay home and teach class from there," he said. "I suggest my students settle down with coffee or a beer and tap into my lecture in comfort. Perhaps the school might consider equipping all of the dorm rooms with work stations." That prediction may not be far off. The University is in the process of supplying all of the dormitories and class buildings with links to PennNet, Farber explained. "We try to choose lecture topics that deal with issues affecting the lives of first-year students," said Goldberg House Assistant Dean in Residence Pamela Robinson. "With this new technology and the 50th anniversary of ENIAC, we felt [Farber's] topic would be appropriate." Robinson, who is also coordinator of First-Year Programs in Residence, said Wednesday's symposium was a twice-a-year event geared toward freshmen and organized by the first-year houses. Farber's lecture was primarily organized by King's Court/English House staff in collaboration with its Science and Technology Wing, a living/learning program implemented in 1989. Engineering and Wharton senior Eric Fitzpatrick, program assistant of the Wing, said he is thrilled with the growth of the computer industry, which began 50 years ago this week with the release of the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, the world's first digital computer. "It's nice to know that the bullies aren't the people with the biggest muscles anymore," Fitzpatrick said. "They're the people with the biggest brains."