Did Steve Jobs Steal The iPad? Genius Inventor Alan Kay Reveals All

[Guest]

Great read. Today's people are sadly more enamoured of those who sell the final dressed up product than the ones who built the technology, and the prototype. It's all media.

 

[Guest]

Great read! I've wondered where some of Job's influences came from.

While I agree with Kay that it would be great to have devices that promote pure creativity for software development among the masses, but the reality is that not everyone (most) don't want get into doing that. They like doing other things. They just want a device that works and helps them do things (work & pleasure), which doesn't include programing!

 

[Guest]

Very interesting reading. Though obviously, we'd 'all' heard of the Dynabook man, where've you been ...? 😉

Anyway, for those interested in seeing the works of someone who considers himself as "Alan's Ear", you can check out http://magixilluminate.com - Largely an implementation of what Alan call 'commoditization of system development' ... [and it can 'sell objects' ... 😉 ]

 

[jtobler]

Thank you for honoring Dr. Alan Kay, Ph. D. with this excellent summary of some of the basics of his ongoing quest to develop the Dynabook, a personal computer for children of all ages. Your article will help to dispel the popular but mythical meme now circulating that the idea of a tablet computer came magically from heaven to the innovative Steve Jobs. Over the years, Steve Jobs "appropriated" many of Dr. Kay's ideas for various personally and corporately profitable purposes. To me, the ultimate "slap in the face" Steve Jobs and company delivered to Dr. Kay was when they actively booted Scratch from Apple's iPhone and iPad App Store (please read the "Apple Rejects Kid-Friendly Programming App" article published in Wired at http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/apple-scratch-app/). Alan,with whom I was once lucky enough to have dined, is too kind of a soul and too unselfish to have discussed that insult with you. You may also want to know that the Squeak and Scratch communities have been strong supporters of Apple, over the years. I find it unfortunate that their support has been so poorly repaid by Apple.

Nonetheless, we may hope that some day Dr. Kay's wonderful vision will indeed be appropriately implemented and I, for one, will celebrate on that day!