Help me out with a couple of names

ardeegee · 09-23-2009, 07:22 PM

In the mid-20th century, there was some science fiction writer or computer scientist who described a conceptual electronic book. He came up with a name for the concept-- maybe something involving the word "pad" or "tablet", but then again maybe not. I can't remember the name of the man or the imaginary device, though, and no key words I've googled with have helped me so far.

Anyone?

nomesque · 09-23-2009, 08:07 PM

Datapad, maybe?

This thread might help - Fictional references to ebooks and epaper

ardeegee · 09-23-2009, 08:35 PM

No, this wasn't a device from a work of fiction. It was an idea someone described of a possible future device, but in a real-world speculation setting, not in a fictional setting.

nomesque · 09-23-2009, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardeegee

No, this wasn't a device from a work of fiction. It was an idea someone described of a possible future device, but in a real-world speculation setting, not in a fictional setting.

Ohhhh....

*wide-eyed dopey look*

NFI, sorry.

nomesque · 09-24-2009, 01:31 AM

HA! This has been bugging me. Unfair, cos it's your bug, not mine. But check this:

http://www.livescience.com/scienceof...ny_reader.html

I know you asked for NON-fiction references, but ACC did write (as far as I'm aware) a lot of papers and articles regarding concepts used in his fictional work. Might help you find something closer to what you're after?

ardeegee · 09-24-2009, 02:50 AM

Finally found what I was looking for-- it was called the "Dynabook":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook

http://www.mprove.de/diplom/gui/Kay72a.pdf

dreams · 09-24-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardeegee

Finally found what I was looking for-- it was called the "Dynabook":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook

http://www.mprove.de/diplom/gui/Kay72a.pdf

Hey, I didn't know that

... (from the wiki link above)

"The Dynabook concept was created by Alan Kay in 1968,..."

"Alan Kay is actively involved in the One Laptop Per Child project that uses Smalltalk, Squeak, and the concepts of a computer for learning."

Glad you finally found it. I know how it continues to nag at you when you can't remember something.

nomesque · 09-24-2009, 05:56 PM

1968? Huh... same year as Clarke's attribution. I wonder which came first, or whether they were colleagues, or it was a common concept being thrown around in the scientific community...

DixieGal · 09-24-2009, 06:09 PM

Weird how the illustrtion looks exactly like a K1, isn't it?

ardeegee · 09-24-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Weird how the illustrtion looks exactly like a K1, isn't it?

Yeah. I had a similar moment while searching for the reference when I noticed that the description of The Guide in HHGTTG had the same screen dimensions as my Sony Reader Pocket (3 inches by 4 inches.)

Deb · 09-26-2009, 12:21 AM

It's amazing how many items brought up in SF are actual-world devices now. Heinlein contributed the waterbed and the Waldo (off the top of my head). I'm sure Asimov devised quite a few - others?

The scientists of today are the SF readers of yesterday...

Xenophon · 09-26-2009, 12:54 AM

Alan Kay was one of my Dad's graduate students. Part of his research on the DynaBook involved building cardboard mock-ups in various form-factors and weights, and getting people to carry them around during their day (and then report on the level of hassle involved). At various times I carried probably a half-dozen different "models" to school for the day -- I was in 2nd grade at the time.

Xenophon

Deb · 09-27-2009, 04:41 AM

Asimov wrote a short story about the perfect portable reader.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
It was a paperback book.

09-23-2009, 07:22 PM	#1
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Help me out with a couple of names In the mid-20th century, there was some science fiction writer or computer scientist who described a conceptual electronic book. He came up with a name for the concept-- maybe something involving the word "pad" or "tablet", but then again maybe not. I can't remember the name of the man or the imaginary device, though, and no key words I've googled with have helped me so far. Anyone?

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09-23-2009, 08:07 PM	#2
nomesque Snooty Bestselling Author Posts: 1,485 Karma: 1000000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ipswich, QLD, Australia Device: PRS-650	Datapad, maybe? This thread might help - Fictional references to ebooks and epaper

09-23-2009, 08:35 PM	#3
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	No, this wasn't a device from a work of fiction. It was an idea someone described of a possible future device, but in a real-world speculation setting, not in a fictional setting.

09-24-2009, 01:31 AM	#5
nomesque Snooty Bestselling Author Posts: 1,485 Karma: 1000000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ipswich, QLD, Australia Device: PRS-650	HA! This has been bugging me. Unfair, cos it's your bug, not mine. But check this: http://www.livescience.com/scienceof...ny_reader.html I know you asked for NON-fiction references, but ACC did write (as far as I'm aware) a lot of papers and articles regarding concepts used in his fictional work. Might help you find something closer to what you're after?

09-24-2009, 02:50 AM	#6
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Finally found what I was looking for-- it was called the "Dynabook": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook http://www.mprove.de/diplom/gui/Kay72a.pdf

09-24-2009, 05:56 PM	#8
nomesque Snooty Bestselling Author Posts: 1,485 Karma: 1000000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ipswich, QLD, Australia Device: PRS-650	1968? Huh... same year as Clarke's attribution. I wonder which came first, or whether they were colleagues, or it was a common concept being thrown around in the scientific community...

09-24-2009, 06:09 PM	#9
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Weird how the illustrtion looks exactly like a K1, isn't it?

09-26-2009, 12:21 AM	#11
Deb Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 260 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sacramento Device: Sony PRS-700	It's amazing how many items brought up in SF are actual-world devices now. Heinlein contributed the waterbed and the Waldo (off the top of my head). I'm sure Asimov devised quite a few - others? The scientists of today are the SF readers of yesterday...

09-26-2009, 12:54 AM	#12
Xenophon curmudgeon Posts: 1,487 Karma: 5748190 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Redwood City, CA USA Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500	Alan Kay was one of my Dad's graduate students. Part of his research on the DynaBook involved building cardboard mock-ups in various form-factors and weights, and getting people to carry them around during their day (and then report on the level of hassle involved). At various times I carried probably a half-dozen different "models" to school for the day -- I was in 2nd grade at the time. Xenophon

09-27-2009, 04:41 AM	#13
Deb Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 260 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sacramento Device: Sony PRS-700	Asimov wrote a short story about the perfect portable reader. . . . . . . . It was a paperback book.

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