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I do *not* want...
Jun. 5th, 2010 09:35 am...my clothing to psychoanalyze me and decide I need a dose of rap music.
Jun. 5th, 2010
I do *not* want...
Jun. 5th, 2010 09:35 am...my clothing to psychoanalyze me and decide I need a dose of rap music.
An amazing, often unsung, computer legacy
Jun. 5th, 2010 10:59 amI first used the PLATO computerized learning system (which stood for Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) in 1980, when it was 20 years old. Learning to use this remarkable computer system was a requirement of an introductory course (SPCH 539) in my doctoral program, taught by Dr. Randy Bytwerk (who would become my dissertation advisor). While most of the other graduate students found PLATO an alien (and not very useful) experience, I was fascinated with the whole thing, and particularly the ability to communicate with people using PLATO's "term-talk" (think "IM") and notes files.
This week, the 50th Anniversary Conference was held (alas, on the wrong coast, so we couldn't go) to celebrate what PLATO had given us all. Plasma monitors, touch screens, threaded notes files, computer time sharing (on the U of I's ILLIAC computer), on-screen programming - there were many technical advances made possible because of the PLATO pioneers.
One of the most important things about PLATO from my perspective as a doctoral student in human communication was how users, able to communicate remotely, spontaneously developed the first on-line social networks. I connected to some of those networks, met people through PLATO, and remember the whole experience very, very fondly. (Okay, and I played games...and the Empire gaming community was its own set of social networks. And everybody hated Gork.)
PLATO's legacy is largely unrecognized by the broader computing world. But I have very good reason to sing the praises of the system...I wake up with him every morning. :-) Mike and I are one of the PLATO couples - we met because of our interactions on PLATO (and with the help of our mutual friend Mitch).
If you're interested in the history of PLATO, my friend Dave McCarty gave me links to one of the first presentations from the 50th anniversary conference. The presentation by Brian Dear is split in two parts (YouTube file length issues): part 1 and part 2. Alas, one can't see his slides...but, in most cases, I know what they look like. :-)
Thank you, PLATO, for your many technical gifts...and for the greatest gift a woman could ask for.
This week, the 50th Anniversary Conference was held (alas, on the wrong coast, so we couldn't go) to celebrate what PLATO had given us all. Plasma monitors, touch screens, threaded notes files, computer time sharing (on the U of I's ILLIAC computer), on-screen programming - there were many technical advances made possible because of the PLATO pioneers.
One of the most important things about PLATO from my perspective as a doctoral student in human communication was how users, able to communicate remotely, spontaneously developed the first on-line social networks. I connected to some of those networks, met people through PLATO, and remember the whole experience very, very fondly. (Okay, and I played games...and the Empire gaming community was its own set of social networks. And everybody hated Gork.)
PLATO's legacy is largely unrecognized by the broader computing world. But I have very good reason to sing the praises of the system...I wake up with him every morning. :-) Mike and I are one of the PLATO couples - we met because of our interactions on PLATO (and with the help of our mutual friend Mitch).
If you're interested in the history of PLATO, my friend Dave McCarty gave me links to one of the first presentations from the 50th anniversary conference. The presentation by Brian Dear is split in two parts (YouTube file length issues): part 1 and part 2. Alas, one can't see his slides...but, in most cases, I know what they look like. :-)
Thank you, PLATO, for your many technical gifts...and for the greatest gift a woman could ask for.
An amazing, often unsung, computer legacy
Jun. 5th, 2010 10:59 amI first used the PLATO computerized learning system (which stood for Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) in 1980, when it was 20 years old. Learning to use this remarkable computer system was a requirement of an introductory course (SPCH 539) in my doctoral program, taught by Dr. Randy Bytwerk (who would become my dissertation advisor). While most of the other graduate students found PLATO an alien (and not very useful) experience, I was fascinated with the whole thing, and particularly the ability to communicate with people using PLATO's "term-talk" (think "IM") and notes files.
This week, the 50th Anniversary Conference was held (alas, on the wrong coast, so we couldn't go) to celebrate what PLATO had given us all. Plasma monitors, touch screens, threaded notes files, computer time sharing (on the U of I's ILLIAC computer), on-screen programming - there were many technical advances made possible because of the PLATO pioneers.
One of the most important things about PLATO from my perspective as a doctoral student in human communication was how users, able to communicate remotely, spontaneously developed the first on-line social networks. I connected to some of those networks, met people through PLATO, and remember the whole experience very, very fondly. (Okay, and I played games...and the Empire gaming community was its own set of social networks. And everybody hated Gork.)
PLATO's legacy is largely unrecognized by the broader computing world. But I have very good reason to sing the praises of the system...I wake up with him every morning. :-) Mike and I are one of the PLATO couples - we met because of our interactions on PLATO (and with the help of our mutual friend Mitch).
If you're interested in the history of PLATO, my friend Dave McCarty gave me links to one of the first presentations from the 50th anniversary conference. The presentation by Brian Dear is split in two parts (YouTube file length issues): part 1 and part 2. Alas, one can't see his slides...but, in most cases, I know what they look like. :-)
Thank you, PLATO, for your many technical gifts...and for the greatest gift a woman could ask for.
This week, the 50th Anniversary Conference was held (alas, on the wrong coast, so we couldn't go) to celebrate what PLATO had given us all. Plasma monitors, touch screens, threaded notes files, computer time sharing (on the U of I's ILLIAC computer), on-screen programming - there were many technical advances made possible because of the PLATO pioneers.
One of the most important things about PLATO from my perspective as a doctoral student in human communication was how users, able to communicate remotely, spontaneously developed the first on-line social networks. I connected to some of those networks, met people through PLATO, and remember the whole experience very, very fondly. (Okay, and I played games...and the Empire gaming community was its own set of social networks. And everybody hated Gork.)
PLATO's legacy is largely unrecognized by the broader computing world. But I have very good reason to sing the praises of the system...I wake up with him every morning. :-) Mike and I are one of the PLATO couples - we met because of our interactions on PLATO (and with the help of our mutual friend Mitch).
If you're interested in the history of PLATO, my friend Dave McCarty gave me links to one of the first presentations from the 50th anniversary conference. The presentation by Brian Dear is split in two parts (YouTube file length issues): part 1 and part 2. Alas, one can't see his slides...but, in most cases, I know what they look like. :-)
Thank you, PLATO, for your many technical gifts...and for the greatest gift a woman could ask for.
