great (long) article on the usefulness of CS research, etc.

[urlwolf]

http://unqualified-reservations.blogspot.com/2007/08/whats-wrong-with-cs-research.html?dupe=with_honor

[Armando]

http://unqualified-reservations.blogspot.com/2007/08/whats-wrong-with-cs-research.html?dupe=with_honor

Very interesting (long, yes) read. To some extent, some of what the author describes could apply to art/aesthetic research (can't speak of other fields)...

Here's a modified quote :

This is not just prejudice. It is rational mistrust. Academics, as we've seen, have no incentive to build [art/aesthetic ideas or hypotheses] that's actually relevant, and every incentive to [develop "theories"] that appears to be relevant. They have every incentive to overpromote, and no incentive at all to build an actual user base. In fact, an actual user base is an enormous drag for [an art] researcher, because it demands actual support, which does not advance the researcher's career at all.

OK, that one was easy... 

[Darwin]

Yes - really interesting. I branched off, too, and read his critique of universities as well. Another long, but worthwhile and interesting, read.

Thanks, urlwolf