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I agree. I fear people look at this situation in a different light than say the current president of the United States who, while he does have an email address,
by nogabebop23 6y ago
I agree. I fear people look at this situation in a different light than say the current president of the United States who, while he does have an email address, admittely does not write emails or read them directly. Knuth is admired and this is a pleasant quirk; the POTUS appears an old, out-of-touch dinosaur.
I'm not judging either; my initial thoughts were just of the different perceptions for similar unique and rare circumstances.
- bo1024 6y agoI think he explains pretty clearly up front why his job makes this circumstance appropriate - on the bottom of things. I can’t think of anyone who should be more on top of things than a president.
- notmyname9173 6y agoAnd there is barely worse way to stay on top of things than email.
- bo1024 6y agoI wouldn’t agree. It’s the best communication format for someone who wants to control their own time and attention.
- reificator 6y agoWhile I greatly admire Knuth, I've never thought he wasn't a dinosaur. I don't look down on my grandmother for being confused when she's trying to use email, and I don't look down on Knuth for abandoning it in the 90s. I guess it comes down to whether you think technological dinosaur is an insult or an observation.
- container 6y agoIt seems that the current POTUS knows how to use Twitter directly, which is probably generally considered more modern and "in-touch" than email. Maybe, then, the perception of him that you described wouldn't be based on the technology he uses to communicate.