CD-ROM: a piece of technology or a reliable 'friend'?

The reactions of students new to CD-ROM databases were evaluated through a combination of observation and interviews. There was much similarity between the observed behaviour of the new users and that demonstrated by individuals in the development of interpersonal relationships. It is further argued that the users' reactions to the CD-ROM hardware and software parallel the levels of absorption in aesthetic experience and cannot be explained in purely behavioural terms. The friendliness of CD-ROM database applications has implications for the development of information technology competencies in new users.