Computer Lib
Encyclopedia
Computer Lib is a book by Ted Nelson
, originally published in 1974 by Nelson himself, and packaged with Dream Machines, another book by Nelson. The whole publication (referred to as just "Computer Lib" by Nelson and others) had two front covers to indicate the "intertwingling"
of the two books, and was republished with a foreword by Stewart Brand
in 1987 by a division of Microsoft
Press. The book, which is subtitled "You can and must understand computers NOW," and which Nelson says in the 1987 edition was inspired by Brand's Whole Earth Catalog
, is a spirited manifesto that was inspiring to a generation of DIY computer-lovers. In his book Tools for Thought, Howard Rheingold
calls Computer Lib "the best-selling underground manifesto of the microcomputer revolution
." It is sometimes considered the first book about the personal computer, since it was initially published prior to the release of the Altair, however, that honor is actually Nicholas Negroponte
's, for his 1970 book The Architecture Machine: Towards a More Human Environment.
In Computer Lib, Nelson writes passionately about the need for people to understand computers deeply, more deeply than was generally promoted as "computer literacy," which he considers a superficial kind of familiarity with particular hardware and software. His rallying cry "Down with Cybercrud" is against the centralization of computers such as that performed by IBM
at the time, as well as against what he sees as the intentional untruths that "computer people" tell to non-computer people to keep them from understanding computers.
In Dream Machines, Nelson covers the flexible media potential of the computer, which was shockingly new at the time (1974).
Ted Nelson
Theodor Holm Nelson is an American sociologist, philosopher, and pioneer of information technology. He coined the terms "hypertext" and "hypermedia" in 1963 and published it in 1965...
, originally published in 1974 by Nelson himself, and packaged with Dream Machines, another book by Nelson. The whole publication (referred to as just "Computer Lib" by Nelson and others) had two front covers to indicate the "intertwingling"
Intertwingularity
Intertwingularity is a term coined by Ted Nelson to express the complexity of interrelations in human knowledge.Nelson wrote in Computer Lib/Dream Machines :EVERYTHING IS DEEPLY INTERTWINGLED...
of the two books, and was republished with a foreword by Stewart Brand
Stewart Brand
Stewart Brand is an American writer, best known as editor of the Whole Earth Catalog. He founded a number of organizations including The WELL, the Global Business Network, and the Long Now Foundation...
in 1987 by a division of Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Press. The book, which is subtitled "You can and must understand computers NOW," and which Nelson says in the 1987 edition was inspired by Brand's Whole Earth Catalog
Whole Earth Catalog
The Whole Earth Catalog was an American counterculture catalog published by Stewart Brand between 1968 and 1972, and occasionally thereafter, until 1998...
, is a spirited manifesto that was inspiring to a generation of DIY computer-lovers. In his book Tools for Thought, Howard Rheingold
Howard Rheingold
-See also:* Collective intelligence* Information society* The WELL* Virtual community-External links:***** at TED conference** a 48MB Quicktime movie, hosted by the Internet Archive...
calls Computer Lib "the best-selling underground manifesto of the microcomputer revolution
Microcomputer revolution
The microcomputer revolution is a phrase used to describe the rapid advances of microprocessor-based computers from esoteric hobby projects to a commonplace fixture of homes in industrial societies...
." It is sometimes considered the first book about the personal computer, since it was initially published prior to the release of the Altair, however, that honor is actually Nicholas Negroponte
Nicholas Negroponte
Nicholas Negroponte is an American architect best known as the founder and Chairman Emeritus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, and also known as the founder of the One Laptop per Child Association ....
's, for his 1970 book The Architecture Machine: Towards a More Human Environment.
In Computer Lib, Nelson writes passionately about the need for people to understand computers deeply, more deeply than was generally promoted as "computer literacy," which he considers a superficial kind of familiarity with particular hardware and software. His rallying cry "Down with Cybercrud" is against the centralization of computers such as that performed by IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
at the time, as well as against what he sees as the intentional untruths that "computer people" tell to non-computer people to keep them from understanding computers.
In Dream Machines, Nelson covers the flexible media potential of the computer, which was shockingly new at the time (1974).
Format
Both the 1974 and 1987 editions have an unconventional layout, with two front covers (one for Computer Lib and the other for Dream Machines) and the division between the two books marked by text (for the other side) rotated 180°. The text itself is broken up into many sections, with simulated pull-quotes, comics, side bars, etc., similar to a magazine layout.External links
- "Computer Lib/Dream Machines Retrospective" - Excerpts from "Computer Lib"
- Excerpts from "Computer Lib" - with an emphasis on hypertext concepts
- Tools for Thought (book on history of computers) by Howard RheingoldHoward Rheingold-See also:* Collective intelligence* Information society* The WELL* Virtual community-External links:***** at TED conference** a 48MB Quicktime movie, hosted by the Internet Archive...