Letters

Science News, April 15, 2000

Uncertainty syndrome

The article "Genes to grow on" (SN: 2/26/00, p. 142), in which among other things you gave a description of William's syndrome, really surprised me. I said to myself, I know a boy like that. I finished the article and called the boy's parents to see if they had ever heard about this genetic syndrome. They hadn't.

Numerous health-care providers had failed to diagnose this boy's strange array of symptoms, but the parents soon found out there are a number of organizations that can support them and their son through the years ahead. They and their newly informed healthcare providers now have a better idea of how to deal with his symptoms.

Steve Graham Tiskilwa, Ill.

Net pluses

Your article "Survey raises issue of isolated Web users" (SN: 2/26/00, p. 135) seems to imply that there is something worse about spending 10 hours a week surfing the Web than other pastimes. Why isn't 10 hours a week spent reading books, watching television, doing crossword puzzles, listening to music, or other solitary hobbies just as "socially isolating"? The sports fan who watches 10 hours of football in one weekend seems far worse to me.

Thomas L. Hise Shellsburg, Iowa

The survey on Internet use seems to endorse the cultural bias that extroversion is preferable to introversion. Users of the Internet are described as "tuned-out" and "socially isolated." Let's try some different words. People who use the Internet are focused. They manage to screen out the miscellaneous distractions around them. They learn to sustain intense concentration for long periods of time.

The qualities of extroversion are certainly commendable, but introversion carries its own rewards. The authors of the Stanford report would do well to remember not to try to fix something until they're sure it's broken.

Robert G. Chester Tumwater, Wash.

My father and I certainly qualify as "heavy Internet users" by the article's definition. It's important to realize that sending and receiving E-mail is in many ways no different from phone interaction with real people. For example, I used to call my father, who is 81 years old, once a week. Because he is hard of hearing, this was trying for both of us, and the time that we were connected did not translate into enjoyable communication. We now communicate at least once a day by E-mail and more often on weekends. As my father says, "I can hear a lot better on E-mail."

Charlotte Omoto Palouse, Wash.