 Is your face on Facebook?
I have the conceited idea that I know something about computers.
Colleagues even ask me every now and then to exterminate a bug that has
invaded their systems.
But my false sense of technological competence came to a sudden end
when I recently ventured onto Facebook. Facebook is a rapidly growing
virtual world on the internet.
The profile, or rather persona, you create for yourself of course
doesn’t need to look or sound like you. But your cyberchat capabilities
soon betray your “technological" age when you begin to build networks,
send photos, create interest groups, participate in discussions, trace
a school friend in South America, speak in web abbreviations and find
yourself in a whirlpool of virtual possibilities.
Apparently a generation gap in cyberspace is approximately five years.
This means that today’s teenagers will regard someone of 30 as an
ancient fossil! Makes you think.
But I wonder if there really is anything new under the sun. I read the following in a previous Matieland:
“The people of today are born into a technological world; their lives
are controlled by the mechanisms and apparatus of science from an early
age. Is it therefore strange that the assembling and disassembling of
concrete objects, the analysis of the concrete, create a greater sense
of reality and value than studying Literature or Philosophy?"
Guess in which Matieland this appeared? 1975, 1983 or maybe 1996? No,
it was the Matieland of 1958, in an article entitled “The University in
the Technological Era".
Now, in the 21st century (which apparently will be called the
Biotechnological Era) technology and all its challenges are still with
us.
But of course technology can be used for a positive purpose –
especially in a world beset by declining energy resources and global
warming.
Matieland asked Engela Duvenage, science writer from the Faculty of
Natural Sciences, to write an article about renewable energy. She tells
us about Prof Wikus van Niekerk and his small but valiant band of
energy specialists, and also mentions various innovative projects that
the University is working on in this area.
Russel Botman
In this issue we welcome Prof Russel Botman, our new rector and
vice-chancellor. Prof Russel, already a familiar face on the
Stellenbosch campus, was inaugurated on 11 April. Read the summary of
his speech in which he spells out his vision for Stellenbosch
University.
Enjoy!
Martin Viljoen
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 PS: Jubilee edition in December
Because we focus on Prof Russel Botma in this edition, we thought it a
good idea to postpone our jubilee edition until the end of the year. In
the meantime we thank our alumni for their excellent contributions. Do
keep writing! As many letters as possible will be placed. If a letter
is shortened, the full version will be available online. Please visit
www.matiesalumni.net.
The photo on this page appeared in the Matieland of 1960. The photo was
taken by Mr Christo S Botha (SU Archive). Does anyone know the names of
the students on the photo?
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