Alan Kay Decries the State of Computing

gnaremooz writes "Computer pioneer Alan Kay (DARPA in the '60s, PARC in the '70s, now HP Labs) declares 'The sad truth is that 20 years or so of commercialization have almost completely missed the point of what personal computing is about.' He believes that PCs should be tools for creativity and learning, and they are falling short."

Comments

Re:Not-So-Sad Truth

[Scarblac]

They're the most unique and versatile tool ever invented by man, their purpose is whatever we choose it to be at the moment.

I think that's his point - they're the most unique and versatile tool ever invented, we could do anything, but what we use it for is 99% things we basically had before - business documents and simple calculations, games, video and audio replay/recording.

They could be so much more.

Re:Arrgh..

[hcdejong]

But he does have a point. Most of the effort that's gone into hardware and software development, has been aimed at doing the same things faster. Real innovation is very rare. Our desktops still are essentially the same as the 1984 Macintosh. PDAs still haven't caught up with the Newton. Computers are still dumb.

Re:Cue the Apple zealots ...

[mccalli]

"I've no idea what this Kay dude is talking about, I just finished reading this very interesting article on Australian dingos in my World Book. Now excuse me while I have to finish my latest iCompositions in my iGarageband, and organise my iPhotoalbums, all while wirelessly browsing the iWeb sitting in my iGarden."

Ok - I'll bite. And I'll bite for personal computing at large, rather than just as an Apple user (which I happen to be, but the below could be achieved on any platform).

The very interesting articles I've digging out recently are on how to play the clarinet. I do use my machines to write music. I quite definitely have my photo albums on the the machine. I'll add video to your list too, and DVD authoring. I'll add web authoring. I'll add accounts - not exciting, but definitely simulating ideas. I'll add communciation - email and video conferencing with friends who are at least hundred of miles away, in some cases on a different continent. In my case, I'll add development and web authoring. And yes, when circumstances allow I sit in my garden and use the 802.11g connection.

I honestly, truly, have no idea what Alan Kay is on about. Generalising the whole of computing on a business knocking out office documents is a bit poor. Then again, the article didn't have much in the way of direct quotes from Mr. Kay - perhaps his main thrust has been misunderstood?

Cheers,
Ian

Re:Arrgh..

[Pig Hogger]

His example: A software package that just looks like the modern equivalent of LOGO. Interesting, sure. Probably lots of fun to play with as a child. More compelling that e-mail or Wikipedia? Please.

Don't belittle Smallalk . It ain't. Case in point: some years ago, a friend of mine had the misfortune of having sold beaucoup computers and servers to an ailing airline, which was pretty much behind in it's payments.

One day, I get an enthusiastic phone call from him: Can you go to the airport and go to $AIRLINE offices to fix their macintosh??? (I was the outside mac expert). When I got there, the V.P. of finance was at the reception waiting for me and handed me a five-figure cheque for the outstanding invoiced...

Turns out that this single computer had an AI application written in Smalltalk that handled all the logistics and scheduling of their aircraft fleet; their whole operations depended on this one computer.

I was not able to fix the mac: it's motherboard was shot.

A week later, they filed for bankrupcy but at least, the cheque cleared.