Tj's blog

The difference in the ways we perceive information is extremely important and this is essentially what Alan Kay realized long before technology could catch up. In the early seventies, he proposed the Dynabook, a new form of computer which was meant for personal use. To quote Dr. C, to the people of the seventies, having a personal computer would be like having a personal bulldozer. No one was entirely sure how one would be useful or why one would even want a computer. Kay, who was an avid musician (organist), frequently mentioned his desire for computers to work as dynamic scores, animation centers, and even powerful art editors. He believed that, one day, computers would be built to serve children; they would be particularly effective teachers. He was considered a radical idealist then. Now, however, in the advent of technology, he is oftentimes overlooked. He is the probably the most important thinker of the twenty-first century and, yet, a vast majority of the computer-using population has no idea who he is. I’ll admit it, before taking my new media studies class, I had never even heard of him. Perusing others’ blogs as I was researching Kay for class, I found an article of particular interest. It talks about the adaptability of the iPhone and how it is (almost word-for-word) the epitome of Kay’s Dynabook. It is a touchscreen, portable device geared to personal music, image, and entertainment uses. It is also noted that the iPhone is extremely user-friendly and an adequate (though expensive) learning tool for children.