The Machine Stops : E.M. Forster

Previously submitted: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=821360

Also mentioned in this discussion: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=931273

It's also related to all the threads deploring that fact that it's nearly impossible to "tinker" with things these days, since things are so complicated you can't actually see how they work. Everything is a magic black box.

I sympathise with recent requests by pencil (http://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=pencil) for a path to enlightenment in physics/math/electronics. How do we get from intelligent but unknowledgable to being able to understand and perhaps build computers?

It's a long road.