Autonomic Computing

Some Examples of Our Complex Society

• In the Netherlands, an elderly woman spent a week in a shopping mall. She could not find the exit. She bought food during the day and slept on a bench at night. She could not find anyone to ask where the exit was.

• In France farmers rioted because they could not understand the new laws they were supposed to obey. They blocked the roads for days with tractors and farm equipment, almost paralyzing the country. The laws were too complicated.

• Industry research suggests that, unless they have an adolescent at home, over 90 percent of consumers do not use 95 percent of the features of their video recorders because they are too difficult to use.

• When we shop at a large mall, we frequently forget where the car was parked. ...