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> by thinking how we can make the power computing technologies give us available to everyone. the rest will follow automatically. But that's exactly what we a

by RyanZAG 13y ago

> by thinking how we can make the power computing technologies give us available to everyone. the rest will follow automatically. But that's exactly what we are doing. What do you think iPhones and iPads are? Those startups that are making it easier to book holidays? The very thing they are doing is making technology available to everyone. We've been doing all of this the whole time with the very goal of making technology available to people by creating ready made interfaces and tools that others can use. There seems to be the idea that it's possible to leapfrog all of this hard, technical stuff and let everyone do it. Obviously that's not going to happen because those little technical bits are the difficult parts that need actual intelligence to overcome. You can't sandpaper them away.

dgsiegel 13y ago
> But that's exactly what we are doing. What do you think iPhones and iPads are? Those startups that are making it easier to book holidays? The very thing they are doing is making technology available to everyone. so, yes, they make technology available to everyone. but in my opinion the problem is something else: we still think in representations invented for the medium of paper. we still code in text files, we still read pdfs/ebooks page by page, and your mom still can't send you that thing over the internet. with all these beautiful devices we have, it kinda makes me sad to see what potential we are missing out. you may have heard of this beautiful research project "sketchpad" by ivan sutherland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sketchpad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sketchpad), which plays with direct manipulation of data. they even managed to plan a bridge with it. not that i am saying everyone should be able to build bridges, but you see where this is going. i very much recommend to watch both talks by bret victor: the future of programming - http://worrydream.com/dbx/ http://worrydream.com/dbx/ media for thinking the unthinkable - http://worrydream.com/MediaForThinkingTheUnthinkable/ http://worrydream.com/MediaForThinkingTheUnthinkable/ > There seems to be the idea that it's possible to leapfrog all of this hard, technical stuff and let everyone do it no, of course not. we always build on the shoulder of giants. but i hope you agree that we can do better than what we are currently doing. ryan, thanks for your comment.
nightski 13y ago
I'd argue they are not making technology available to everyone. Rather they are making cheap appliances. Single experience apps designed for a specific purpose with limited flexibility. It is like having a toaster and a blender. Oh you want to grind coffee? Well buy a coffee grinder! Instead of making general purpose tools accessible, we are providing accessible single purpose tools. There is a very large difference.

by RyanZAG 13y ago

dgsiegel 13y ago

> But that's exactly what we are doing. What do you think iPhones and iPads are? Those startups that are making it easier to book holidays? The very thing they are doing is making technology available to everyone. so, yes, they make technology available to everyone. but in my opinion the problem is something else: we still think in representations invented for the medium of paper. we still code in text files, we still read pdfs/ebooks page by page, and your mom still can't send you that thing over the internet. with all these beautiful devices we have, it kinda makes me sad to see what potential we are missing out. you may have heard of this beautiful research project "sketchpad" by ivan sutherland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sketchpad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sketchpad), which plays with direct manipulation of data. they even managed to plan a bridge with it. not that i am saying everyone should be able to build bridges, but you see where this is going. i very much recommend to watch both talks by bret victor: the future of programming - http://worrydream.com/dbx/ http://worrydream.com/dbx/ media for thinking the unthinkable - http://worrydream.com/MediaForThinkingTheUnthinkable/ http://worrydream.com/MediaForThinkingTheUnthinkable/ > There seems to be the idea that it's possible to leapfrog all of this hard, technical stuff and let everyone do it no, of course not. we always build on the shoulder of giants. but i hope you agree that we can do better than what we are currently doing. ryan, thanks for your comment.

nightski 13y ago

I'd argue they are not making technology available to everyone. Rather they are making cheap appliances. Single experience apps designed for a specific purpose with limited flexibility. It is like having a toaster and a blender. Oh you want to grind coffee? Well buy a coffee grinder! Instead of making general purpose tools accessible, we are providing accessible single purpose tools. There is a very large difference.