Domesticating the Computer Terminal: A Plan to Increase our Understanding of How Men Use Machines
01 January 1982
do-mes-ti-cate de-mes-ti-kat tr-v.-cated,-cating 1: to bring into domestic use: ADOPT 2: to fit for domestic life 3: to adapt (an animal or plant or computer terminal) to live in intimate association with and to the advantage of man 4: to bring to the level of ordinary people. As you can see, I have taken some liberty with Webster's definition of the term "domesticating", but it is the closest word I can find to what is needed at this stage of online system development. While the terminal may not "live", it certainly should "exist" in intimate association with and to the advantage of man. The International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that over 20 million terminal devices will be in place by 1986.