Alan Kay was one of the dozen or so scientists who invented the personal computer. Alan and the other pioneers like Doug Englebart, were not aiming to create a new generic technology with the PC but rather their goal was to create tools to augment human intelligence individually and collectively. By studying the long journey of human progress they came to see that people’s understanding and capability co-evolves with their knowledge and tools. As Alan once said to me: “If every company uses the same commodity information tools, they will have commodity productivity levels.”
Commoditized Technology and Commoditized Results
Alan Kay was one of the dozen or so scientists who invented the personal computer. Alan and the other pioneers like Doug Englebart, were not aiming to create a new generic technology with the PC but rather their goal was to create tools to augment human intelligence individually and collectively. By studying the long journey […]
June 09, 2008
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New!
HBR Learning
Innovation and Creativity Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Innovation and Creativity. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Unlock your team's curiosity and willingness to take smart risks.