From: good@baviki.enet.dec.com (Michael Good)
Subject: Re: Request for Information
Date: 23 Apr 91 13:47:43 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


In addition to John Gregor's many good suggestions, I'd also like
to point out the importance of your philosophy major.  Someone
coming out of school with a good background in philosophers
like Heidegger and Wittgenstein, plus the comp sci and work-
related skills, would (to me) really stand out.

Pelle Ehn's book on "Work-Oriented Design of Computer Artifacts",
available from Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, is probably the best
work for illustrating the importance of philosophy to the engineering
of new computer systems.  Virtual worlds takes this philosophical
link which applies to nearly all interactive systems and then makes
it explicit in the technology itself - that is, virtual worlds technology
makes explicit certain philosophical issues that have previously been
abstract.

>From that philosophical background, it should be evident
why you want the work experience that Gregor's strongly 
recommends.  To understand and develop the technology, you
need to undestand (at least some of) the contexts in which
it will be applied.

Good luck,

Michael Good

good@baviki.enet.dec.com