Where did the computer go? — Part 1

submited by
Style Pass
2021-06-14 07:30:11

The home computer presents itself through several interfaces, some in software, some in hardware. While it is mostly assumed that these interfaces’ goals are to expose the computing capabilities of the system to its user, obviously interfaces are at the same time responsible for transporting the image of the machine.

The interfaces’ designs are not only driven by technical necessity and engineering decisions, but also by , current pictures of the , or

For example, the Austrian born author and one of the earliest Chaos Computer Club members Peter Glaser frequently describes his fascination as a writer with early home computers as being able to — with a cathode ray and a phosphorized screen (also known as monitor or TV tube) . Pure thought, pure data, freed from physical constraints!!

Letters that appeared from out of the thin air on a TV seemed to be the aesthetic representation of computing principles. Indeed thoughts, logic and information are all bodiless . So the computer should probably be bodiless as well, this machine is mind, not body. To achieve complete freedom, like in free thought , the tangible form has to vanish.

Leave a Comment