[ExI] Even more HCI

[Tomasz Rola]

For what it's worth, I have stumbled upon this cathegory page on 
wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:History_of_human–computer_interaction

There seems to be quite a few old ideas, which not necessarilly had been 
realised to the fullest. Like Alan Kay's Dynabook:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook

I think in the past it was a given that computer came with some means to 
create software (the exact form of this functionality could differ but the 
important thing is, computer can change the way it operates in more 
radical way than flipping background picture). Nowadays the only given is 
a browser, I would say. Javascript in a browser is not given, so even this 
very bleak way of customizing behaviour cannot be counted on. I could give 
a name of a device, maybe two, which are close to useless because of this, 
even thou mainstream delights itself with new versions of it (now it is 5 
or something).

In other words, one could argue that longterm, computer will change into 
some kind of interactive tv. I.e., useless. Life is not about 
entertainment. Not mine. I am not a bonobo.

Anyway, here is a link to interview with Alan Kay:

http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=1039523

I think it is worth a while, even for those who don't program.

Some musings on Dynabook:

http://openp2p.com/pub/a/p2p/2003/04/03/alan_kay.html

http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/computing-and-ict/information-and-communication-technologies/why-the-iphone-makes-2008-seem-1968-all-ov

BTW, if I ever had any wish to switch into full graphical mode and stay 
there, it was because of Squeak, a Smalltalk implementation. I guess it is 
interesting both as programming environment and as a way to try new 
things, so perhaps the knowledge of its existence should be spread more.

Other than Squeak or something like this, all those graphical stuff is not 
worth the pain of using it. I mean mostly MS Windows but I guess (without 
trying) MacOS fits well, too.

Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.      **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home    **
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...      **
**                                                                 **
** Tomasz Rola          mailto:tomasz_rola at bigfoot.com             **