Alan Kay and Adele Goldberg
Personal Dynamic Media
Alan Kay and Adele Goldberg. 1977. (View Paper → ) …we crystallized our dreams into a design idea for a personal dynamic medium the size of a notebook (the Dynabook) which could be owned by everyone and could have the power to handle virtually all of its owners information-related needs. Towards this goal we have designed and built a communications system: the Smalltalk language, implemented on small computers we refer to as "interim Dynabooks." We are exploring the use of this system as a programming and problem solving tool; as an interactive memory for the storage and manipulation of data; as a text editor; and as a medium for expression through drawing, painting, animating pictures, and composing and generating music. (Figure 26.1 is a view of this interim Dynabook.) We offer this paper as a perspective on our goals and activities during the past years. In it, we explain the Dynabook idea, and describe a variety of systems we have already written in the Smalltalk language in order to give broad images of the kinds of information-related tools that might represent the kernel of a personal computing medium.
This paper is a visionary milestone in computing. Written in 1977, it laid the groundwork for personal computing by introducing the concept of the Dynabook—a portable, interactive device that could serve as a “personal dynamic medium” for creativity, learning, and communication.
The idea of a computer for everyone was nearly unthinkable at the time. Instead of merely crunching numbers, the Dynabook was imagined as a device that would let users write, draw, animate, compose music, and even simulate complex processes. This was revolutionary because it shifted the focus from computers as specialised tools to computers as versatile extensions of human thought and expression .
Today, many of the core ideas have become the foundation of modern computing. The emphasis on a user-friendly interface, the integration of multimedia, and the empowerment of users to customise and extend their tools are evident in everything from laptops and tablets to today's app ecosystems. While the exact implementation using Smalltalk didn't become the mainstream, its object-oriented principles have deeply influenced modern programming languages and design paradigms.
An inspirational vision that took decades to realise - they were on the right path. Alan Kay is rightfully considered one of the true pioneers of computing.