The following excerpts are from an English translation of Umberto Eco's
back-page column, "La bustina di Minerva," in the Italian News weekly
Espresso, September 30, 1994.

..."Insufficient consideration has been given to the new underground
religious war which is modifying the modern world. It's an old idea of
mine, but I find that whenever I tell people about it they immediately
agree with me.

"The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh
computer and users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the
opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is protestant.
Indeed, the Macintosh is counter-reformist and has been influenced by
the 'ratio-studiorum' of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly,
conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step
to reach -- if not the Kingdom of Heaven -- the moment in which their
document is printed. It is catechistic: the essence of revelation is
dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons. Everyone has a
right to salvation.

"DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free
interpretation of scripture, demands difficult personal decisions,
imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user, and takes for granted the
idea that not all can reach salvation. To make the system work you
need to interpret the program yourself: a long way from the baroque
community of revelers, the user is closed within the loneliness of
his own inner torment.

"You may object that, with the passage to Windows, the DOS universe
has come to resemble more closely the counter-reformist tolerance of
the Macintosh. It's true: Windows represents an Anglican-style schism,
big ceremonies in the cathedral, but there is always the possibility
of a return to DOS to change things in accordance with bizarre
decisions; when it comes down to it, you can decide to allow women and
gays to be ministers if you want to....

"And machine code, which lies beneath both systems (or environments,
if you prefer)? Ah, that is to do with the Old Testament, and is
talmudic and cabalistic..."


The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?
~Jeremy Bentham