4 ms·

I'm reading what Nelson wrote in the 60's right now, and I'm dumbfounded by the guy's genius. But if I were reading his stuff in the 60's, I'd probably conside

I'm reading what Nelson wrote in the 60's right now, and I'm dumbfounded by the guy's genius. But if I were reading his stuff in the 60's, I'd probably consider it frivolous nonsense and get on with my day. Today's Ted Nelsons are probably working in obscurity for the same reasons.

criddell 9y ago
I really want to get a copy of his book Computer Lib/Dream Machines but I just can't justify the $100 or so for a beat up copy.
- hyperpape 9y ago
  Many university libraries will offer access to non-affiliated individuals for a non-crazy amount. Even if you don't want to pay, if the library is open to the public, you can walk in, find the book on the shelf and read it at a desk.
  - criddell 9y ago
    I don't know if you will be able to find it in a library anymore. I think most library copies have been stolen and sold on eBay.
- thenoblebuffalo 9y ago
  Here's a download link for a pdf copy if that helps: https://libgen.pw/item/detail/id/736641?id=736641 https://libgen.pw/item/detail/id/736641?id=736641 Found using this site: http://gen.lib.rus.ec/ http://gen.lib.rus.ec/
  - criddell 9y ago
    All of the online versions I've seen look like photocopies of a fax. Do you know if that's what the original looked like?
    - thenoblebuffalo 9y ago
      Wow, that is not the best quality. I haven't read this one yet (def plan on at least glancing through it now). I found this http://www.newmediareader.com/book_samples/nmr-21-nelson.pdf http://www.newmediareader.com/book_samples/nmr-21-nelson.pdf it's just a sample showing chapter 21, but it is much nicer looking.
- zethraeus 9y ago
  He'll sell you a reprint directly. http://hyperland.com/LibPage http://hyperland.com/LibPage
  - criddell 9y ago
    Thanks! I wish it were $40 though. A $100 is a bit outside of my impulse purchase zone.
    - tudorw 9y ago
      It sounds a lot, consider it a fine piece of art in it's own right and I don't think you'll lose your investment over time... The reprint by M$ does not do this original large format version which is crisp and sharp.
      - zethraeus 9y ago
        It's a beautiful book. He also signed it for me, in case that's a thing you value. I'd love to know how different his reprints are the the originals. I've seen one from the original run, and they looked the same to me. (But it had been a while.)
- todd8 9y ago
  I've got a copy that I bought new while in grad school (back in the '70s). I read and reread it; it's a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I kept in in my grad student office in the CS building, so to protect it and my other CS books from wandering off I stamped my name with bright ink on a number of the pages. The name stamps probably ruined its value as a collector's item :( ... One thing I remember from it was his fascination with APL and with the even more off-beat language TRAC. TRAC is a Turing complete macro language first implemented as an interactive programming environment[1]. [1] http://hopl.info/showlanguage2.prx?exp=276 http://hopl.info/showlanguage2.prx?exp=276
miguelrochefort 9y ago
Can you give an example of something he wrote that would be considered "frivolous nonsense" in the 60's?
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- ocschwar 9y ago
  Read page 12 here: https://ia801502.us.archive.org/17/items/SelectedPapers1977/SelectedPapers1977_text.pdf https://ia801502.us.archive.org/17/items/SelectedPapers1977/...
  - contingencies 9y ago
    OMG. I thought this guy's mannerisms were some kind of acquisition of fame. He was talking like that in the 60s. No wonder nobody listened! Perversely, I now have far more respect for him.

criddell 9y ago

I really want to get a copy of his book Computer Lib/Dream Machines but I just can't justify the $100 or so for a beat up copy.

hyperpape 9y ago
Many university libraries will offer access to non-affiliated individuals for a non-crazy amount. Even if you don't want to pay, if the library is open to the public, you can walk in, find the book on the shelf and read it at a desk.
- criddell 9y ago
  I don't know if you will be able to find it in a library anymore. I think most library copies have been stolen and sold on eBay.
thenoblebuffalo 9y ago
Here's a download link for a pdf copy if that helps: https://libgen.pw/item/detail/id/736641?id=736641 https://libgen.pw/item/detail/id/736641?id=736641 Found using this site: http://gen.lib.rus.ec/ http://gen.lib.rus.ec/
- criddell 9y ago
  All of the online versions I've seen look like photocopies of a fax. Do you know if that's what the original looked like?
  - thenoblebuffalo 9y ago
    Wow, that is not the best quality. I haven't read this one yet (def plan on at least glancing through it now). I found this http://www.newmediareader.com/book_samples/nmr-21-nelson.pdf http://www.newmediareader.com/book_samples/nmr-21-nelson.pdf it's just a sample showing chapter 21, but it is much nicer looking.
zethraeus 9y ago
He'll sell you a reprint directly. http://hyperland.com/LibPage http://hyperland.com/LibPage
- criddell 9y ago
  Thanks! I wish it were $40 though. A $100 is a bit outside of my impulse purchase zone.
  - tudorw 9y ago
    It sounds a lot, consider it a fine piece of art in it's own right and I don't think you'll lose your investment over time... The reprint by M$ does not do this original large format version which is crisp and sharp.
    - zethraeus 9y ago
      It's a beautiful book. He also signed it for me, in case that's a thing you value. I'd love to know how different his reprints are the the originals. I've seen one from the original run, and they looked the same to me. (But it had been a while.)
todd8 9y ago
I've got a copy that I bought new while in grad school (back in the '70s). I read and reread it; it's a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I kept in in my grad student office in the CS building, so to protect it and my other CS books from wandering off I stamped my name with bright ink on a number of the pages. The name stamps probably ruined its value as a collector's item :( ... One thing I remember from it was his fascination with APL and with the even more off-beat language TRAC. TRAC is a Turing complete macro language first implemented as an interactive programming environment[1]. [1] http://hopl.info/showlanguage2.prx?exp=276 http://hopl.info/showlanguage2.prx?exp=276

miguelrochefort 9y ago

Can you give an example of something he wrote that would be considered "frivolous nonsense" in the 60's?

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
ocschwar 9y ago
Read page 12 here: https://ia801502.us.archive.org/17/items/SelectedPapers1977/SelectedPapers1977_text.pdf https://ia801502.us.archive.org/17/items/SelectedPapers1977/...
- contingencies 9y ago
  OMG. I thought this guy's mannerisms were some kind of acquisition of fame. He was talking like that in the 60s. No wonder nobody listened! Perversely, I now have far more respect for him.