Wonderfully prescient: So the revolution has begun, and as usually happens with revolutions, nobody can agree on where it is going or how it will end. Nils Nilsson, director of the Artificial Intelligence Center at SRI International, believes the personal computer, like television, can “greatly increase the forces of both good and evil.” Marvin Minsky, another of M.I.T.’s computer experts, believes the key significance of the personal computer is not the establishment of an intellectual ruling class, as some fear, but rather a kind of democratization of the new technology. Says he: “The desktop revolution has brought the tools that only professionals have had into the hands of the public. God knows what will happen now.” From a 1983 article in Time magazine declaring The Computer as the Person of the Year.  Ten years later, I was dialing into a local BBS (Bulletin Board Service) in my darkest teenage days.  The BBS’ name was Zeller Zone in Peoria, IL.  My terminal software dials.  681-8727.  The modem rings.  A handshake at 1200 bps.  Here were the like-minded.  Trading files, pictures and thoughts.  Ready to explore the breadth of good and evil.  The PC made the desolate isolation of high school manageable.  For better, or for worse.  That’s what happened.  People that wanted to think and act differently finally had a place to go. ~ü

Wonderfully prescient:

So the revolution has begun, and as usually happens with revolutions, nobody can agree on where it is going or how it will end. Nils Nilsson, director of the Artificial Intelligence Center at SRI International, believes the personal computer, like television, can “greatly increase the forces of both good and evil.” Marvin Minsky, another of M.I.T.’s computer experts, believes the key significance of the personal computer is not the establishment of an intellectual ruling class, as some fear, but rather a kind of democratization of the new technology. Says he: “The desktop revolution has brought the tools that only professionals have had into the hands of the public. God knows what will happen now.”

From a 1983 article in Time magazine declaring The Computer as the Person of the Year.  Ten years later, I was dialing into a local BBS (Bulletin Board Service) in my darkest teenage days.  The BBS’ name was Zeller Zone in Peoria, IL.  My terminal software dials.  681-8727.  The modem rings.  A handshake at 1200 bps. 

Here were the like-minded.  Trading files, pictures and thoughts.  Ready to explore the breadth of good and evil.  The PC made the desolate isolation of high school manageable.  For better, or for worse.  That’s what happened.  People that wanted to think and act differently finally had a place to go.

~ü

TIME

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  1. rejaneborges reblogged this from kateoplis
  2. schmudde reblogged this from kateoplis and added:
    Wonderfully prescient:...From a 1983 article in Time magazine declaring The Computer as...
  3. jltopkis reblogged this from nprfreshair and added:
    I feel like the computer will be machine of the year for awhile…
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  14. librerican reblogged this from kateoplis and added:
    Gotta love the “greatly increase the forces of both good and evil” bit. I’ve long suspected that we, like this poor man...
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