
Alan Kay: Computer Applications – A Medium for Creative Thought (1972) [video] - jarmitage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJzi9R_55Iw
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noblethrasher
Delighted to see this finally make the front page. I submitted it just a few
days ago, but it was quickly buried:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10309001](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10309001)

My favorite part starts at 40:50:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJzi9R_55Iw&feature=youtu.be...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJzi9R_55Iw&feature=youtu.be&t=2450)

Paraphrasing:

“Our goal is not to measure "answers right per test", or "test passed per
year", but rather Sistine Chapel Ceilings per lifetime.”

That gives me goosebumps every time I think about it.

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applecore
This is a strange quote, since a Sistine-Chapel-Ceiling can only be painted by
an individual with great skill and thousands of hours of deliberate practice.

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noblethrasher
Well, the context is educating children. Particularly, Kay's premise was that
kids are naturally creative, curious, and artistic. He was concerned with
process of developing a child along their "stylistic" axis, which opposed the
conventional process of education that "beats the style out of them".

Artistic skill is the product of thousands of hours of deliberate practice.
But, there's an idea that the motivation for that kind of practice comes from
a desire to develop a style that's all your own.

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peter303
He is still around. Wiki gives his post-PARC resume:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Kay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Kay)
Most recently he has been running a small research institute:
[http://www.vpri.org/html/work/NSFproposal.pdf](http://www.vpri.org/html/work/NSFproposal.pdf)

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Dav3xor
One could say Alan Kay is still around, much like one could say giant redwood
and sequoia trees are 'still around'.

Always glad to see someone discover one of the greats. :)

(edit) Oh wait, you probably already knew he existed. Tried to read too much
into your post.

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david927
It's still strange wording. It's like saying Beethoven was 'still around' in
the 1810's.

I don't know of a more prestigious group working on a more important area than
CDG.

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austenallred
I really liked Alan Kay's talk from 2015: The Power of Simplicity
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSD07U5uBs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSD07U5uBs)

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dang
Wow! An Alan Kay talk from the heyday of PARC. This is really something.

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joshmarinacci
For anyone serious about our field, this is a must read (watch).

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arxpoetica
"Space War." Ahead of his time? ;)

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vmorgulis
The music reminds me Jethro Tull and King Crimson.

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sp332
Yes, it's a Jethro Tull tune called Bouree.

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cconroy
s/computer/dynamic medium/g

