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Questioning Invisibility.

In this article, the author reflects on invisibility in computing. He wonders if invisibility is always a good thing or if it should be a guiding design for ubiquitous computing. He relates the instances where the invisibility of technology breaks down and how it can cause not only inconvenience and...

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Published in:Computer (00189162) Vol. 43; no. 4; pp. 84 - 87
Main Author: Buechley, Leah
Format: Article
Published: IEEE Apr2010
Subjects:
Cloud computing
Ubiquitous computing
Technology
Distributed computing
Embedded computer systems
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Summary:In this article, the author reflects on invisibility in computing. He wonders if invisibility is always a good thing or if it should be a guiding design for ubiquitous computing. He relates the instances where the invisibility of technology breaks down and how it can cause not only inconvenience and frustration but also reveal the inelegance and fragility of the technology. He believes that invisibility is a narrow design goal and does not capture the full range of technological or creative possibilities.