Michael L. Dertouzos (1936–2001)

I thought of this boook, given to me by one friend, in coversation with another. Dertouzos was there at the birth of the Internet and computer age and one of the original visionaries. Some of the problems he saw then - why do we have to wait for an electronic device to "boot up"? - are still an issue. However, the years and experience he has had give such a bright future, hopeful vision that it seems like wishful dreaming to me ... I tend to think for the centuries ahead computer technology show more will lag behind the easy, intuitive and obvious... at least in key areas. show less

I have never found a book harder to finish -- not because it is uninteresting as much as it is disgusting. Let us hope that this is not what will be. The author has witnessed every step of the computer revolution from ENIAC to the Web Consortium. He sees a world where intelligent machines do everything for us (much like in the Jetsons), where we wear a full cast of instruments, and where we are always accessible to everyone. That is not so much disturbing as the opinion that this is all show more "improvement." I doubt that in my lifetime everything in my home will understand what I say. show less

Overall I was disappointed with this book. It had gotten good reviews in several places that I trust so I hunted it down on Paperbackswap.com. I am certainly glad that I didn't pay for this book!

The book starts off with one long whine about how he has trouble getting his personal computer technology to work for him. Even his friend, Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the World Wide Web), can't get it to work. Fine, then lets move on! Instead it's instance after instance of where technology fails show more us humans. He does have a point, but it seems scattered about. Then it's a long list of what computers *should* be doing for us, and he believes we currently have the technology to make these things happen.....until he later admits that some of the essential pieces for stability are still missing. It is at this point that makes several rather specious comments about how, if we hook up in a human-centered way worldwide, people in India can help us uptight westerners relax. He seems to think that an Indian woman living in a remote village can offer counseling to western women!

He does make a very valid point early on when he talks about the bloated operating systems our computers use today (Mac, Windows, etc.). These systems started very simply but they grew by applying more code to the basic system. Small things that don't do very much and aren't used by many people at all are added anyway because the engineers fall in love with their project. Even a simple widget can add a large degree of complexity. Because of this, the systems have ceased being flexible and true innovation is no longer possible. An entirely new way of programming is needed.

The book truly gets interesting only in the last quarter where he talks about the project he is working on: Oxygen. He details the various pieces and platforms that are being developed. There is true promise, but so far the innovation is occurring only in the small experimental environment he is working in.

Note: Although this review was written in the present tense, it should be noted that the author died August 2001. show less

The best thing Mr. Dertouzos does in this book is introduce a useful paradigm in which to view the digital future. His initial description of (and continual references to) "the Information Marketplace," offers the most complete and concrete metaphor for the Digital Age. This is an example anyone can uderstand and use. His specifics, however, will leave many readers disappointed. It isn't that he's wrong, it's that constant media hype on innovations has made his examples familiar and a little show more stale. Strongly recommended for the technical novice, but a miss for those already online. show less