GDG- Electric Map

[The Mills]

Kathi:

But computers allow us to access the information faster, present it better, easier and more effeciently.  If we are able to present information in this way and do it cheaper, why should we not take advantage of it?  

If you think about it, in all honestly, why would a group want to build a building to simply house an old relic that most people are not going to visit?  They would have to build a building simply to house it, then figure out how to wire it up and charge a significant amout of money to pay for the expense of the building, the map and the upkeep of both the building and map.  

You could do the entire thing for a fraction of the cost with computers and present the information much more effeciently, in much more detail, easier to see and update it much more easily.  Take some of the Sid Meier computer games.  You can get a lot more information and in much more detail in one of those games than that electronic map.  Put that on a movie screen, and you have a presentation 100 times more appealing than the map.  Add 3-D to it (heck even 4-D), and you have quite an experience that you could never get with the map.

I don't think losing the electronic map even comes close to burning books.  Burning books is losing knowledge of a civilization and culture that was stored in those books.  If you store that electronically on computers, you are not losing the knowledge that was contained within the pages of those books.  However:  the electronic map is not going to captivate generations to come simply because this generation is expecting computer animation and special effects (much like the generation that was around when the electronic map was built).  They are going to be bored in three seconds with lights and loud clicks of the electronic map.  

I am sorry, but the electronic map served a useful function, but its life expectency has reached it limit and the generation of today and future generations are going to expect a lot more "futuristic" type exhibits than that.  

Thanks
Andy


----- Original Message -----
From: Gettysburg <Gettysburg at pahouse.net>
To: gettysburg at arthes.com
Sent: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:58:43 -0500 (EST)
Subject: GDG- Electric Map

Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


If the NPS is trying to donate the map to a group or organization I have
not heard of anything in Gettysburg.  Too many times we don't miss
something until after it is gone, same will be for the map.  It may be
antiquated but it shows how our history was portrayed for others to
enjoy and will still captivate other generations to come.  It will be
like burning the books because we have it all on computer.

 

Kathi Schue

                   ----------------------------------------------------------------
You may unsubscribe by going to http://mailman.arthes.com/mailman/listinfo/gettysburg

You can add yourself to the GDG map at: http://www.frappr.com/gettysburgdiscussiongroup

View archived posts from May 2004 -  present at http://mailman.arthes.com/pipermail/gettysburg/