THE COMMUTER COMPUTER

摘要

Perhaps 50 people are in their cubicles, peering at computer screens-and while the place isn't exactly jumping, it hums. A woman on the road in Greenville, TX, wants directions to the Mary Kay center in Dallas. Thanks to the car's Global Positioning System receiver and wireless connectivity, the OnStar advisor can see a map showing the vehicle's exact location. She tells the driver Mary Kay is 102 kilometers away, and guides her to the nearest freeway on-ramp. At another terminal things are more urgent: "Mr. [Jones], this is the OnStar center. Your emergency button has been pressed. Are you all right? Mr. Jones, are you all right?" (He is; it turns out the button was hit in error.)