Time has published an interview with Alan Kay, a pioneer of the tech industry who worked for Xerox, Apple, Atari, Disney, and HP. In the interview, Kay discusses his early vision for computing, his work at Xerox's revolutionary PARC lab, his time at Apple, and the pursuit of artificial intelligence. Kay's Dynabook concept laid the groundwork for Xerox's industry-defining Alto computer, which heavily influenced the development of Apple and Microsoft's user interfaces. The concept is also seen, at least in hardware terms, as a precursor to modern laptop, tablet, and convertible devices, but Kay is disillusioned by the state of software on these devices. Speaking on the role of software and electronics in society, Kay says the rise of electronic media "actually removed some of day to day needs for reading and writing," adding that this has "allowed much of the civilized world to lapse back into oral societal forms."
Computer pioneer Alan Kay on Xerox, Apple, and the problem with modern software
Computer pioneer Alan Kay on Xerox, Apple, and the problem with modern software
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