In my Dad’s day, they rated car engines in ‘Horse Power’.
Do you remember back that far?
I do.
So when I rate the power of computers I use ‘Brain Power’.
Bitter experience has taught me that most computers are rated at more than 1 ‘Brain Power.’ This means you need to have at least two people battling with the machine if you’re going to get it to work.
On your own, you can fake it for a while, but eventually the computer says “No”
You’ve tried every keystroke on the board, every button on the screen, and used up your full repertoire of oaths, curses and exhortations.
That’s when you need to go and get help. And the more help the better.
You could be dealing with a machine that’s rated at 4 or 5 ‘Brain Power’
Fortunately help is nearly always at hand, that’s the good thing about people.
They are always on your side against electronic intransigence.
And with the phenomenal growth of Social Media, that help is becoming widely available.
I can now recruit help from literally millions of people at the touch of a key, and the ‘Brain Power’ of my computer can be crushed by the “Wisdom of the Crowd”.
If the helpful crowd can crush the power of my computer, what do you think it could do to other powerful bits of machinery?
To Large Pharma Corporations which are fond of saying “No”?
To Large Industries which work largely in their own interests?
To Large Institutions that claim to be the Guardians of Knowledge?
It really doesn’t take much Brain Power to figure out that the side with the best Brain Power will succeed.
At the moment, Social Media may be seen as a small piece of the human jigsaw puzzle.
Do you suppose that over time, Social Media will become the jigsaw, and the jigsaw will form a multi-billion ‘Brain Power’ resource.
Hard Drive Headaches
I’ve read that people are trying to build ‘Biological Computers’
Of course we already have biological computers, there’s apparently one on every neck.
And we are making some progress towards networking these ‘necktops’ aren’t we?
Social Media is a step in the right direction, but the military history of our species tells a grim tale of how hard it is to get Brains to work together harmoniously.
But things are moving.
Developments in Orgware and Thoughtware are beginning to create environments in which collaboration can occur safely.
And the platforms offered by Social Media are adding real Horse Power to the movement.
Stay Tuned.
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