| Smarter Than Their Computers -- The Oral Histories of the Pioneers of Interactive Computingis based on oral histories archived at the Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota.Includedare the oral histories of some key pioneers ofthe computer industry selected by Johnthat led to interactive computing, such as Richard Bloch, Gene Amdahl, Herbert W. Robinson, Sam Wyly, J.C.R. Licklider, Ivan Sutherland, Larry Roberts, Robert Kahn,Marvin Minsky, Michael Dertouzos, and Joseph Traub, as well as his own. John has woven them together via introductions that is, in essence, a personal walk down the computer industry road.John had the unique advantage of having been part of, or witness to,much of the history contained in theseoral histories beginning as a co-op studentat Arthur D. Little, Inc., in the 1950's. Eventually,he would become a pioneer in his own right by creatingthe computer industry's first successful software products company (Cullinane Corporation).However, an added benefit of reading these oral histories is that they contain important messages for our leaders of today, at all levels, including that government, industry, and academia can accomplish great things when working together in an effective way. This is how the computer industry was created, which then led to the Internet, both totally unanticipated just 75 years ago. |
