Rob Kling, 58; Specialist in Computers' Societal Effect

Concerned that all discussion of computers focused on technology, Kling studied government, manufacturers and insurance companies to determine how computers affect society and require choices that consider human values as well as technological values. In his prolific writings and speeches, Kling often used analogies to the automobile to make his esoteric topic more easily understood. Technological debates could be likened to discussing the latest sports car model, he told The Times in 1992, while informatics addresses how the automobile has affected society, including construction of highways and development of suburbs. Kling's studies convinced him that "there is an underside to computer technology," he said. For example, he said that organizations often fail to train employees properly in computer use, making the task a "hassle and a cause of stress" and that dependency on computers for communication eliminates creative, stimulating social interaction.