Anthropological research and collaborative computing

Computers and computer interfaces form the critical access points to the National Information Infrastructure. Recent polls reveal that as much as 30% of the American population feels intimidated by computers. The design of new interfaces adding three-dimensional worlds, models, and visualizations to text-based interfaces will not necessarily encourage broader use of the Internet among certain groups in the population. Other issues, such as navigational difficulties and the social dimensions of learning (including learning about computers), suggest nontechnical, social-science-oriented solutions.