BESTCOM CONSIDERATE COMPUTING
A
“YOUR BATTERY IS NOW FULLY CHARGED,” ANNOUNCED THE LAPTOP
COMPUTER to its owner, Donald A. Norman, with enthusiasm – perhaps even a hint of
pride? – in its synthetic voice. To be sure, distractions and multitasking are hardly new to
the human condition. “A complicated life, continually interrupted by competing requests
for attention, is as old as procreation,” laughs Ted Selker of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Media Lab. But increasingly, it is not just our kids pulling us three ways at
once; it is also a relentless barrage of e-mail, alerts, alarms, calls, instant messages and
automated notifications, none of them coordinated and all of them oblivious to whether
we are busy – or even present. “It’s ridiculous that my own computer can’t figure out
whether I’m in front of it, but a public toilet can,” exclaims Roel Vertegaal of Queen’s
University in Ontario.
B
Humanity has connected itself through roughly three billion networked telephones,
computers, traffic lights – even refrigerator and picture frames – because these things
make life more convenient and keep us available to those we care about. So although we
could simply turn off the phones, close the e-mail program, and shut the office door when
it is time for a meeting or a stretch of concentrated work, we usually don’t. We just
endure the consequences.
C
Numerous studies have shown that when people are unexpectedly interrupted, they not
only work less efficiently but also make more mistakes. “It seems to add cumulatively to
a feeling of frustration,” Picard reports, and that stress response makes it hard to regain
focus. It isn’t merely a matter of productivity and the pace of life. For pilots, drivers,
soldiers and doctors, errors of inattention can be downright dangerous. “If we could just
give our computers and phones some understanding of the limits of human attention and
memory, it would make them seem a lot more thoughtful and courteous,” says Eric
Horvitz of Microsoft Research. Horvitz, Vertegaal, Selker and Picard are among a small
but growing number of researchers trying to teach computers, phones, cars and other
gadgets to behave less like egocentric oafs and more like considerate colleagues.
.D
“Attentive” computing systems have begun appearing in newer Volvos and IBM has
introduced Websphere communications software with a basic busyness sense. Microsoft
has been running extensive in-house tests of a much more sophisticated system since
2003. Within a few years, companies may be able to offer every office worker a software
version of the personal receptionist that only corner-suite executives enjoy today. But if
such an offer should land in your inbox, be sure to read the print before you sign. An
1
attentive system, by definition, is one that is always watching. That considerate computer
may come to know more about your work habits than you do.
E
Most people aren’t as busy as they think they are, which is why we can usually tolerate
interruptions from our inconsiderate electronic paraphernalia. James Fogarty and Scott E.
Hudson of Carnegie Mellon University recently teamed up with Jennifer Lai of IBM
Research to study 10 managers, researchers and interns at work. They videotaped the
subjects and periodically had them rate their “interruptibility.” The amount of time the
workers spent in leave-me-alone mode varied from person to person and day to day,
ranging from 10 to 51 percent. On average, the subjects wanted to work without
interruption about one third of the time. In studies of Microsoft employees, Horvitz has
similarly found that they typically spend more than 65 percent of their day in a state of
low attention.
F
Today’s phones and computers, which naively assume that the user is never too busy to
take a call, read an email, or click “OK” on an alert box, thus are probably correct about
two-thirds of time. To be useful, then, considerate systems will have to be more than 65
percent accurate in sensing when their users are near their cognitive limits.
G
Bestcom/Enhanced Telephony, a Microsoft prototype based on Horvitz’s work, digs a
little deeper into each user’s computer to find clues about what they are up to. Microsoft
launched an internal beta test of the system in mid-2003. By last October, Horvitz says,
about 3,800 people were using the system to field their incoming phone calls.
H
Horvitz himself is one of those testers, and while we talk in his office in Redmond,
Wash., Bestcom silently handles one call after another. First, it checks whether the caller
is listed in his address book, the company directory, or its log of people he has called
recently. Triangulating these sources, it tries to deduce their relationship. Family
members, supervisors and people he called earlier today rang through. Others see a
message on their computer that he is in a meeting and won’t be available until 3 P.M. The
system scans Horvitz’s and the caller’s calendar and offers to reschedule the call at a time
that is open for both. Some callers choose that option; others leave voice mail. E-mail
messages get a similar screening. When Horvitz is out of the office, Bestcom
automatically offers to forward selected callers to his cellphone – unless his calendar and
other evidence suggest that he is in a meeting.
I
Most large companies already use computerized phone systems and standard calendar
and contact management software, so tapping into those “sensors” should be
2
straightforward. Not all employees will like the idea of having a microphone on all the
time in their office, however, nor will everyone want to expose their datebook to some
program they do not ultimately control. Moreover, some managers might be tempted to
equate a “state of low attention” with “goofing off” and punish those who seem
insufficiently busy.
Questions 14-19
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
In boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement is true
FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
14 According to Ted Selker, human productivity has been disturbed by office
competitors frequently.
15 If people are interrupted by calls or E-mails, they usually put up with it instead of
taking uncooperative action.
16 Microsoft is now investigating a software which is compatible with ordinary office
units.
17 People usually have misperception about whether they are busy or not.
18 Researches conducted showed concentration-time span in office takes up only
average a bit over than 65%.
19 Advanced phone and computer system will install a shortcut key for people receive
information immediately.
Questions 20-26
Answer the questions in the diagram below.
Choose ONLY ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
3
ĐÁP
ÁN
14.
NOT
GIVEN
15. TRUE
16. TRUE
17. TRUE
18. FALSE
19. NOT GIVEN
20. clues
21. relationship
22. message
23. reschedule
24. voice mail
25. cellphone
26. meeting
