Wow. I didn't realize how influential the Bronx High School of Science was:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bronx_High_School_of_S...
Larry Tesler Has Died
131–140 of 163 posts
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#132He gave us so much more than cut, copy, paste. It's clear from all the design history books that I've read that he's a legend.[1] NO MODES! https://itsthedatastupid.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/nomodes... [1] One of the more rare sources for Larry Tesler's contributions is his interview for Bill Moggridge's Designing Interactions ( http://www.designinginteractions.com/interviews/LarryTesler )
Is there somewhere he elaborates on his No Modes philosophy? Is it a blanket rule for him for all interfaces, or just text editors?
Here is a fascinating talk where he describes the approach for designing Apple's Lisa:
https://web.archive.org/web/20040511051426/https://computerh...
Fascinating because that exploratory process is essentially what we recognize as "graphical user interface" as of today, and the whole industry has committed itself to that particular design, to the point that exploring how to build interfaces from any other set of principles feels like a titanic task.
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#133I met Larry in about 1992 when I went to work on the Newton project. I had seen him around Apple before, and I knew who he was and what he was known for, but I didn't actually meet him until I joined the Newton team. I found him friendly, modest, smart, shrewd, compassionate, full of interesting knowledge and ideas, and interested in other people and their ideas. I got to know him better when John Sculley ordered him…
(I'm having trouble with this seeming to be a feel-good anecdote about a high-pressure working environment in which people are burning out and killing themselves.)
I suppose that, in part, it's exactly what you say it is.
If it's a feel-good story, I think that must be because I feel good to have had the opportunity to meet and work with Larry Tesler. He impressed me with his intelligence, his generosity, and his compassion. I feel that I'm better for having known him, and I suppose that comes through in my account.
You're right: Newton was a pressure cooker. Larry didn't put that pressure on us, though. We put it on ourselves. We got the idea that there was an outside chance of making something great, and we pursued that dream as hard as we could. Some of us--I include myself--were intemperate in that pursuit, and it cost us.
Now, the pursuit of greatness is a species of vanity, and vanity is a cruel and fickle master. But in Newton's case, at least, I think those of us who were seduced by that vanity have only ourselves to blame.
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#134Earlier quoted context omitted.
(I'm having trouble with this seeming to be a feel-good anecdote about a high-pressure working environment in which people are burning out and killing themselves.)
I guess the feel-good part is remembering that Larry Tesler was a good person inside of and despite that environment. And I think it's a polite way of reminding everyone that being an asshole is not required to do great, world-changing work.
Your second point may be one reason why, whenever I think of Larry, I also think of Steve Jobs.
Steve was infamous for riding roughshod over employees in pursuit of making something great.
Larry's example shows that such treatment is not necessary to get people's best work. If you can't get great work out of people without abuse, that's your own limitations showing; it's not a law of nature.
I suppose I also think of Steve because I met and worked for Larry and Steve in the same fairly short period of time, and because both projects were high-risk, low-percentage attempts to create something great. Also, perhaps, because Steve was opinionated about Larry and I argued with him about it.
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
(I'm having trouble with this seeming to be a feel-good anecdote about a high-pressure working environment in which people are burning out and killing themselves.)
I suppose that, in part, it's exactly what you say it is. If it's a feel-good story, I think that must be because I feel good to have had the opportunity to meet and work with Larry Tesler. He impressed me with his intelligence, his generosity, and his compassion. I feel that I'm better for having known him, and I suppose that comes through in my account. You're right: Newton was a pressure cooker. Larry didn't put t…
Thanks for the context!
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#136:(
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#137I met Larry in about 1992 when I went to work on the Newton project. I had seen him around Apple before, and I knew who he was and what he was known for, but I didn't actually meet him until I joined the Newton team. I found him friendly, modest, smart, shrewd, compassionate, full of interesting knowledge and ideas, and interested in other people and their ideas. I got to know him better when John Sculley ordered him…
Having worked on the Newton you might get a kick out of this - when I was in high school there was a guy still using one with a WiFi PCMCIA card, probably straight up to when the iPhone launched. I imagine he jumped to a smartphone eventually, but he was still on the Newton in 2006.
Seemed like a neat little device.
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#138I met Larry in about 1992 when I went to work on the Newton project. I had seen him around Apple before, and I knew who he was and what he was known for, but I didn't actually meet him until I joined the Newton team. I found him friendly, modest, smart, shrewd, compassionate, full of interesting knowledge and ideas, and interested in other people and their ideas. I got to know him better when John Sculley ordered him…
Larry sounds like the kind of guy I'd want to know. Also, I didn't know Newton was written in Lisp, that's so cool.
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#139Is it possible for the HN staff to put a rollover on the black bar or link it to threads like this. I see an uptick in the "why is there a black bar?" threads every time it goes up and it would be nice to acknowledge the people that have contributed to technology and spread awareness of what they've done for people that might not know.
Re: Larry Tesler Has Died
#140Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is anyone from Parc still involved in research these days? Or is everyone retired or just chugging along at regular corporate jobs?
Most of the people who were at Parc who are still alive are still doing research. Pretty much only one wanted to get rich (and did). Several were more or less forced into becoming rich. Money has its own dynamics and none of these folks wound up doing further research. But Butler Lampson (the "Oppenheimer" of Parc) is still going strong, as am I and many others. It was a calling, never a job.
When I was 17-18, I read 'Dealers of Lightning' it clued me into the foundations laid for modern computing in the 60-70's in the Bay Area (between SRI, CSAIL and PARC), and markedly changed my own approach to information and computing.
I've always wondered how those who were featured in the book felt about it?