Laptops today vary greatly in size, weight and purpose, but they all have one common origin: Alan Kay's Dynabook.
Kay, a former Xerox PARC computer scientist, drew up the idea of a portable computer in 1968, when computers still weighed over 100 pounds and ate punch cards. His definition of the perfect, portable computer was a very thin, highly dynamic device that weighed no more than two pounds.
Kay's original vision, which he called the "Dynabook," was never built. But it largely inspired the devices we now call laptops, although it's taken four decades to slim the tech down to the point where usable computers actually weigh as little as two pounds.
To honor his achievements, Mountain View's Computer History Museum on Wednesday will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the legendary Dynabook.
Joining Kay in a panel discussion will be Mary Lou Jepsen, the designer of One Laptop Per Child's XO notebook, as well as Chuck Thacker, a former PARC researcher who co-invented Ethernet LAN.
In an interview with Wired.com, Kay shared the story behind how he hatched the Dynabook concept, and what challenges personal computers face as they continue to evolve.
interview is here
Kay, a former Xerox PARC computer scientist, drew up the idea of a portable computer in 1968, when computers still weighed over 100 pounds and ate punch cards. His definition of the perfect, portable computer was a very thin, highly dynamic device that weighed no more than two pounds.
Kay's original vision, which he called the "Dynabook," was never built. But it largely inspired the devices we now call laptops, although it's taken four decades to slim the tech down to the point where usable computers actually weigh as little as two pounds.
To honor his achievements, Mountain View's Computer History Museum on Wednesday will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the legendary Dynabook.
Joining Kay in a panel discussion will be Mary Lou Jepsen, the designer of One Laptop Per Child's XO notebook, as well as Chuck Thacker, a former PARC researcher who co-invented Ethernet LAN.
In an interview with Wired.com, Kay shared the story behind how he hatched the Dynabook concept, and what challenges personal computers face as they continue to evolve.
interview is here
