Niklas Roy has created a modern-day take on the two-wheeled robots used in schools in the 1980s with Logo programming. His robots are vector plotters that create artwork and can be built with an Arduino Nano.
Fernando J. Corbató was a Professor Emeritus at MIT, renowned for his pioneering work in the development of time-sharing and resource-sharing computer systems. He was instrumental in creating the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) and Multics, both influential systems that laid the groundwork for modern operating systems. Corbató's contributions have been widely recognized through numerous awards and fellowships, including the Turing Award (1990) and the Computer Pioneer Award (1982). He was a long-time member of the MIT Computation Center and the Laboratory for Computer Science, and held leadership positions within the department. His work significantly impacted the field of computer science and the evolution of computing technology.
A forum dedicated to bug-lispm, a project related to the Lisp Machine. The page lists recent threads with their creation dates, titles, and number of posts/days spanned.
ITS (Incompatible Timesharing System) was a timesharing system developed at MIT in 1967, initially for the PDP-6 and later primarily on PDP-10 computers, notable for its lack of security features like passwords. The SDF ITS is currently accessible at https://hactrn.org/ via a KA10 emulator and offers tutorials for basic use and exploration of classic programs. Users are encouraged to log in, create a directory, and explore programs like Zork, Emacs, Maclisp, and C through provided hints and documentation.
A reference manual for the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor. This manual corresponds to EMACS version 162.
MIT's Tech Square has played a significant role in the evolution of computing, hosting key figures and research from time-shared computing to the World Wide Web.
Researchers discovered long-lost computer code and used it to resurrect the early chatbot ELIZA from MIT. Named after Eliza Doolittle from 'Pygmalion,' ELIZA was developed in the 1960s by MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum. It was designed to emulate a psychotherapist in conversation and used a unique programming language called MAD-SLIP. Rediscovered in 2021, the original code was brought back to life after 60 years, demonstrating the chatbot's functionality and highlighting the historical significance of early artificial intelligence.
The December 2024 newsletter from Obsolescence Guaranteed covers updates on new projects such as PiDP-10 and PiDP-1, news about existing projects like PiDP-8 and PiDP-11, and upcoming plans for 2025 including a PiDP-1 replica and an annual programming competition.
This video features an interview with Professor Hal Abelson, a pioneer in computer science education. He reflects on his career, starting from his early work with Logo programming language and its use in education. He emphasizes the importance of computer education for everyone, particularly for children who can use technology to make a real-world impact.
Abelson also discusses the risks associated with artificial intelligence and MIT's decision to make educational materials freely available online, which led to MIT OpenCourseWare. He believes computer scientists should not only focus on technical advancements but also consider the ethical implications of their work, asking "What, in fact, is worth making?". The video also highlights resources like Logo, Scratch, and MIT App Inventor, encouraging viewers to explore these tools.
Abelson also discusses the risks associated with artificial intelligence and MIT's decision to make educational materials freely available online, which led to MIT OpenCourseWare. He believes computer scientists should not only focus on technical advancements but also consider the ethical implications of their work, asking "What, in fact, is worth making?". The video also highlights resources like Logo, Scratch, and MIT App Inventor, encouraging viewers to explore these tools.
A look at the social aspects of the Incompatible Timesharing (ITS) operating system, focusing on its lack of security and how that facilitated collaboration and a sense of community among users. The author argues that ITS was a forerunner to modern social media.
