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My mind was blown when seeing connections [0] between Stewart Brand and many of the folks whose work deeply shaped my thinking about computing and systems. In r
by mrexroad 6y ago
My mind was blown when seeing connections [0] between Stewart Brand and many of the folks whose work deeply shaped my thinking about computing and systems. In retrospect, the influence is obvious and it’d be surprising if worked any other way. Which makes me wish CS programs included more courses covering history and philosophy of computing. I think we spent a a week or two on it —- Alan Kay even did a guest lecture —- but I still feel theres tremendous value in focusing on why we are doing what we do.
[0] http://www.dubberly.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Cybernetics_and_Counterculture.pdf http://www.dubberly.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Cyberneti...
- jmtulloss 6y agoI highly recommend The Dream Machine[0] for an in-depth chronicle of the connections and influences that brought early computing to where it is today. [0]: https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Machine-M-Mitchell-Waldrop/dp/1732265119/ https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Machine-M-Mitchell-Waldrop/dp/1...
- throw_PLUTO 6y agoGood one. For an even earlier history, one should read 'The Friendly Orange Glow: The Untold Story of the PLATO System and the Dawn of Cyberculture' by Brian Dear. The author spent decades researching and interviewing the pioneers. The PLATO system had chat rooms, instant messaging, screen savers, multiplayer games, flight simulators, crowdsourcing, interactive fiction, emoticons, e-learning (like MOOCs) etc.