--- title: computing history canonical: https://fjpaz.net/computing-history markdown: https://fjpaz.net/computing-history.md section: links --- # computing history ## 1. Set ### 1a. [hyperworlds.org](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#635) · [arena:635](https://www.are.na/block/635) ![Ted Nelson's Xanadu](https://media.fjpaz.net/arena-media/635.357a3f04.gif) [Ted Nelson's Xanadu](http://hyperworlds.org/pingshot.gif) · hyperworlds.org By: [Damon Zucconi](https://www.are.na/damon) **DEEP INTERCONNECTION, INTERCOMPARISON AND RE-USE** Since 1960, we have fought for a world of deep electronic documents-- with side-by-side intercomparison and frictionless re-use of copyrighted material. We have an exact and simple structure. The Xanadu model handles automatic version management and rights management through deep connection. Today's popular software simulates paper. The World Wide Web (another imitation of paper) trivializes our original hypertext model with one-way ever-breaking links and no management of version or contents. **WE FIGHT ON.** [http://www.xanadu.com/](http://www.xanadu.com/) ### 1b. [gwern.net](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#42262427) · [arena:42262427](https://www.are.na/block/42262427) ![Project Xanadu: Even More Hindsight](https://media.fjpaz.net/arena-media/42262427.70ae99c5.webp) [Project Xanadu: Even More Hindsight](https://gwern.net/xanadu) · gwern.net ### 1c. [wired.com](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#27311807) · [arena:27311807](https://www.are.na/block/27311807) [wired.com/1995/06/xanadu](https://www.wired.com/1995/06/xanadu/) · wired.com By: [Rodrigo Tello](https://www.are.na/rodrigo-tello) Among people who consider themselves insiders, Nelson's Xanadu is sometimes treated as a joke, but this is superficial. Nelson's writing and presentations inspired some of the most visionary computer programmers, managers, and executives - including Autodesk Inc. founder John Walker - to pour millions of dollars and years of effort into the project. Xanadu was meant to be a universal library, a worldwide hypertext publishing tool, a system to resolve copyright disputes, and a meritocratic forum for discussion and debate. By putting all information within reach of all people, Xanadu was meant to eliminate scientific ignorance and cure political misunderstandings. And, on the very hackerish assumption that global catastrophes are caused by ignorance, stupidity, and communication failures, Xanadu was supposed to save the world. ## 2. [everest-pipkin.com](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#35077968) · [arena:35077968](https://www.are.na/block/35077968) ![This is Not my Beautiful House: Examining the Desktop Metaphor, 1980-1995](https://media.fjpaz.net/arena-media/35077968.c928a0d3.webp) [This is Not my Beautiful House: Examining the Desktop Metaphor, 1980-1995](https://everest-pipkin.com/writing/beautiful_house.pdf) · everest-pipkin.com By: [Allegra K ](https://www.are.na/allegra-k) ## 3. Pair ### 3a. [alexwarth.github.io](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#51588051) · [arena:51588051](https://www.are.na/block/51588051) ![Sutherland](https://media.fjpaz.net/arena-media/51588051.0e740d90.webp) [Sutherland](https://alexwarth.github.io/projects/sutherland/) · alexwarth.github.io ### 3b. [@alexwarth.bsky.social](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#51587990) · [arena:51587990](https://www.are.na/block/51587990) **Alex Warth** [@alexwarth.bsky.social](https://bsky.app/profile/alexwarth.bsky.social) · [Oct 19, 2026](https://bsky.app/profile/alexwarth.bsky.social/post/3myakrdwcwk24) Everyone’s seen the Sketchpad demo. Few understand how it actually works. I reimplemented Sketchpad from scratch, and I’m making short videos that recreate Sutherland’s demos and explain how they work. The first 8 are up — from drawing a line to the famous rivet. Link below 👇 ![video](https://media.fjpaz.net/posts/bluesky-3myakrdwcwk24/3myakrdwcwk24-0-poster.display.ab4422c8.webp) *[video]* --- [Oct 19, 2026](https://bsky.app/profile/alexwarth.bsky.social/post/3myakre6hoc24) The full series, in order — “A Guided Tour of Sketchpad”: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis... Coming soon: the bridge demos and the “dismember” operation, then a few demos of my own. Capture: [capture.json](https://fjpaz.net/posts/bluesky-3myakrdwcwk24/capture.json) ## 4. Pair ### 4a. [braggoscope.com](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#45742478) · arena:45742478 *[private block]* [Alan Turing](https://www.braggoscope.com/2020/10/15/alan-turing.html) · braggoscope.com ### 4b. [@dwarkesh_sp](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#45755249) · arena:45755249 *[private block]* **Dwarkesh Patel** [@dwarkesh_sp](https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp) · [Apr 30, 2026](https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp/status/2049941366348890169) "Computer science basically got started in the 1930s when Turing and Church just laid down what the theory of everything was. They just said, here's how computation works. And then we've spent 90 years since then just exploring consequences of that and gradually building up more and more interesting ideas." > `@dwarkesh_sp` ([Apr 28, 2026](https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp/status/2049254956491026459)) > .@michael_nielsen made an incredibly interesting argument about why the tech tree is actually way larger than we realize, and how our descendants will get to explore very little of it. > > ![video](https://media.fjpaz.net/posts/x-2049941366348890169/2049254956491026459-0-poster.display.816f6725.webp) *[video]* Capture: [capture.json](https://fjpaz.net/posts/x-2049941366348890169/capture.json) ## 5. [@sebkrier](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#51221185) · [arena:51221185](https://www.are.na/block/51221185) **Séb Krier** [@sebkrier](https://x.com/sebkrier) · [Oct 9, 2026](https://x.com/sebkrier/status/2108571533547360498) Fascinating reading about how we used to write about malware and viruses back in 1999. In a decade I suspect we'll look back at how we talk about AI safety today and it will feel similar. https://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram/archives/1999/0615.html ![photo](https://media.fjpaz.net/posts/x-2108571533547360498/2108571533547360498-0.display.8f60a18d.webp) Capture: [capture.json](https://fjpaz.net/posts/x-2108571533547360498/capture.json) ## 6. [@philpax.me](https://fjpaz.net/computing-history#45373635) · arena:45373635 *[private block]* **philpax** [@philpax.me](https://bsky.app/profile/philpax.me) · [Apr 17, 2026](https://bsky.app/profile/philpax.me/post/3mjnvkcduik27) projects like news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4779... make me wonder about the world in which the transformer was discovered a decade or two earlier. what would it have looked like? Capture: [capture.json](https://fjpaz.net/posts/bluesky-3mjnvkcduik27/capture.json)