Early Visions of Computing
Today we're going back to This Old Mouse once more for a great article on Apple's legendary 1987 "Knowledge Navigator" video. This promotional video depicted the operation of a computer through voice, integrating a virtual personal assistant into the computing experience. An interesting quote from the article sums it up quite nicely:
"At that 1987 Apple World convention in L.A., someone asked Apple Fellow and visionary Alan Kay how he predicts the future. He said "We don't predict the future... we invent it."'
Early Visions of Computing
Newton Duz iTunes?
An article at This Old Mouse detailing an amazing fact - The Apple Newton can be used as a retro iPod!
It begins:
"Who would suspect that a personal data assistant orphaned by its manufacturer in 1998 would still be in use by some rather vocal enthusiasts -- and that it would synchronize with Apple's latest music player iTunes!"
Newton Duz iTunes?
A Tour of the Apple Lisa OS and Applications
Another interesting tidbit at The DigiBarn Computer Museum. This time it's an article with screen shots of the Lisa OS in action for the Apple fans who may not be lucky enough to have a working Lisa of their own! Check it out!
A Tour of the Apple Lisa OS
The DigiBarn Friends: Jef Raskin: A Life of Design
This tribute to Jef Raskin at The DigiBarn Computer Museum includes audio, pictures and more, including items from Jef's computer collection.
Jef Raskin: A Life of Design
LisaQuarium
Yes, it pains up to have to report this, but like a train wreck, we just can't look away. Is that a color display in that Lisa? No! It's fish!
LisaQuarium
9,250 Apples for the Teacher
An article at Atarimagazines.com by Ken Uston from 1983, originally appearing in Creative Computing Vol. 9, No. 10 / October 1983 / Page 178.
It begins:
"In May, 1983, Apple Computer, Inc. announced a program called Kids Can't Wait (KCW). The primary objective of the program is to place an Apple IIe computer system in each of the roughly 9,250 eligible elementary and secondary schools in California."
9,250 Apples for the Teacher
A2 News and Notes
The January, 2005 issue of the A2 News and Notes Newsletter for Apple II fans has been posted by Howard Katz!
This issue:
* Going Fast!
* Memory Magic
* Software News
* SignOff
A2 News and Notes
Images From Computing's History
Rare documents and artifacts related to the evolution of computers and the Internet were auctioned at Christie's on February 23. The collection, known as "The Origins of Cyberspace: A Library on the History of Computing, Networking & Telecommunications," was the first of its kind to be sold at Christie's.
Images From Computing's History
Net history buffs find bargains at Christie's
Jef Raskin Dies at 61
Pacifica, CA February 27, 2005-
Jef Raskin, a mathematician, orchestral soloist and composer, professor, bicycle racer, model airplane designer, and pioneer in the field of human-computer interactions, died peacefully on February 26th, 2005 surrounded by his family and loved ones. He had recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Jef created the Macintosh Computer as employee number 31 at Apple in the early 1980s, revolutionizing computer interface design. Jef established many methods now taken for granted by computer users, such as "click and drag." He named the Macintosh project after his favorite variety of apple, the McIntosh (modifying the spelling for copyright purposes). Jef strongly believed that computers should make tasks easy for people, not the other way around.
Jef viewed good design as a moral duty, holding interface designers to the same ethical standards as surgeons. Alluding to Isaac Asimov's first law of robotics, one of Jef's mantras was that "any system shall not harm your content or, through inaction, allow your content to come to harm." He left Apple in 1982 to found Information Appliance Inc., where he created the Canon Cat in pursuit of his vision that a computer should be an easy-to-use tool. After a decade studying cognitive psychology, he established a scientific basis for the design of man-machine interfaces, bringing interface design out of the mystic realm of computer gurus.
In his acclaimed 2000 book The Humane Interface, Jef coined the term and founded the field of cognetics, "the ergonomics of the mind," transforming interface design into an engineering discipline with a rigorous theoretical framework. His book, translated into more than nine languages, has become the standard text for more than 100 computing courses around the world.
Building on this work, Jef created the Raskin Center for Humane Interfaces (RCHI), which will soon release a preview of Archy, a culmination and exemplar of his design principles. Archy redesigns the basic building blocks of computing to demonstrate an entirely new paradigm for computer use. RCHI will continue under the technical leadership of Jef's son, Aza Raskin.
Jef's life and work are the subject of a documentary in progress, which will continue to gather information and interviews from people who knew him. More information is available at jefthemovie.com. Jef is survived by his wife of 23 years, Linda Blum; his children, Aza, Aviva, and Aenea; and his children in all but name, Jenna and Rebecca. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
Jef Raskin Home Page
A Look at Secret New Apple Computer
A 1984 article at The Mercury News By Evelyn Richards on the then upcoming Macintosh Computer.
The article begins:
"After two years of secrecy, brainstorming and sometimes zany company maneuvering, Apple Computer Inc. will unveil a new personal computer Jan. 24 that is the size of a stack of paper and, for about the same price, contains more power than the basic IBM PC."
A Look at Secret New Apple Computer
