IP: BBC's The Network, Radio Four FM 92.4-94.6 LW 198, Tue.

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

From: Timothy Finin <finin () cs umbc edu>
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 1995 09:56:12 -0400
To: farber () central cis upenn edu




Dave -- 


The BBC is running an interesting looking program on radio 4 called
`The Network' which looks interesting.  What?  Having trouble picking
this up on your car radio?  Well, as luck would have it, transcripts
are being put up on the web.  This is from
<http://www.bbcnc.org.uk/radio/radio4/network/>


 "The Network, Radio Four FM 92.4-94.6 LW 198, Tuesdays evenings 2030-2100
  
  The Network is back for a new series of six programmes looking at
  information - what is it, who's got it, how do we get, what to do with
  it and where is it going.
  
  Alun Lewis is in the studio hot seat and Angela Lamont will be roaming
  both the real and cyber worlds in search of informing ideas and
  opinions. Each week there will be studio guest who will share a
  thought or two with Alun, add ideas of their own and even comment on
  the flood of e-mails pouring into the studio. The guests include
  Jonathon Miller, editor of the new News Corporation MCI Internet News
  Service, who'll be live from New York on Tuesday 26 September and
  James Woodhausen from the Henley Centre for Prediction who'll be here
  on Tuesday 17 October and Pat Coyne of the New Statesman and Society
  who'll be here on Tuesday 24 October, the last programme in the series.
  ...
  Transcripts of the programme will be put here each week as fast as our
  typing fingers can transfer spoken word to the written so check back
  regularly for a copy of the programme for you to keep."


I was tipped off to the first program becuase of my interest in
"software agents".  From the transcript of that show:


   "Well, tonight we're testing the IQ of intelligent agents, asking if
    our faith in the infallibility of machines is misplaced, and trying to
    discover if the information technology revolution is reaching all
    parts of society.
    
    Well, the hype would have us believe that technology in general, and
    IT in particular, is no longer just toys for boys, is serious stuff
    that we can't ignore, even can't do without, and it's all friendly,
    easy to use and we should welcome it with open arms. Lay down and
    think of all the increased leisure we've been afforded, but research
    and a little personal opinion can paint a very different picture of
    today's consumer products, from the phone to the PC linked to the
    Internet."
      
______________________________________________________________________________
 Professor Tim Finin, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University
 of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore MD 21228. http://umbc.edu/~finin/.
 finin () umbc edu. VOICE: 410-455-3522. FAX: -3969. SEC: Angie Silanskis -2732.