Let us now pessimistically endeavour to communication the sentient of an old Buddhist proverb which states "To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven; the same key opens the gates of hell." and within computerisation lies such a key, narrated by Tilda Swinton in a narcotic voice that evokes honeyed reassurance of a version of the HAL 9000.

Objectivity: Please note the in predicting large scale changes in the way many things are done too often reality turns out to be quite different, from the predictions. Mark Harrison was a member the an organization called "The Lead Pencil Club" aimed at pulling the plug on the electronic revolution. and pledged:

"We will avoid fax and hang up on voice mail. We will receive no E-mail and send none. If our computers develop a virus, we will seek no cure. Our communications will be face to face. If direct human contact is not possible, we will write letters in our own handwriting because that handwriting is a mark of our personality."

The overriding philosophy demonstrated throughout this artical is that technology is bad, avoid it at all costs, it assumes theat just because one aspect of technology is unappealing or useless all of it is, but this attitude causes us to miss out on some of the finer enhancements to our lives that technology, through computerization, can add.

Visions of heaven: The structure of societies, organisations and computer systems are all moving in one direction: away from top-down central control and towards flat, distributed, team- based webs. Computer technology sets us free and brings us together. It is a force for democracy: knowledge is power and these knowledge machines are available to everyone.

Visions of hell: Sixteenth-century French prophet Nostradamus foresaw 1999-2000 as a time of tremendous upheaval, wars, even (possibly) nuclear annihilation. There are not many things in life that are cost free!....nearly everything has some kind of cost to it. Even if some things don't cost money, some cost must be exacted. The Bible says, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul in hell forever. (Jesus said, Matthew 16:26)

Conclusion: The Bible will teach us that we are to count the cost of our commitments. Is there a price tag for your soul? Jesus asks the most profound question "What will it profit us if we gain everything, but lose our soul?" Jesus is asking if we have really thought about costs; spiritual and material.

I am the website administrator of the Wandle industrial museum (http://www.wandle.org). Established in 1983 by local people to ensure that the history of the valley was no longer neglected but enhanced awareness its heritage for the use and benefits of the community.