The First Thinkpad

On holiday recently I had the opportunity to take a look around some of the places in the bay area which have played key roles in the history of computing. Despite the fact that most of the developments when it comes to what we now consider 'the computer' have happened in the last 100 years, scientists and inventors have been making progress in the field for over two millennia.

As with most fields, most of the advancements beyond the few well known breakthroughs remain confined to the realms of obscurity. Now that I've committed to computer science as a pursuit, it was fascinating to be able to look into the past and be inspired by the pioneers who paved the way for the technology of today.

One of the things that stood out for me was one of the original think pads in the Computer History Museum. So many times, someone made a decision or said something that went on to be far more popular or influential than could ever have been imagined. What started out as a prompt on a notebook now adorns millions of laptops worldwide. Email is another prime example of something growing out of all proportion (for better or for worse).

Anyway, there's not much more to show - otherwise this just becomes holiday snaps of a museum. Just remember that beyond being interesting, history can be a valuable guide when forging something new. Although a bit hackneyed, the well known George Santayana quote still applies:

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it