CSE 599U Advanced Topics in Ubicomp History of Ubicomp Shwetak Patel Computer Science & Engineering Electrical Engineering Agenda Review history of Ubicomp Review the history of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Key people and events Series of paradigm shifts Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 2 Why study history? Understanding where you ve come from can help a lot in figuring out where you re going g (trajectory) Knowledge of an area implies an appreciation of its history Those who don t know history are doomed to repeat it Paradigms Predominant theoretical frameworks or scientific world views e.g., Aristotelian, Newtonian, Einsteinian (relativistic) paradigms in physics Understanding HCI history is largely about understanding a series of paradigm shifts Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 3 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 4 Page 1
History of HCI The Plateau Digital computer grounded in ideas from 1700 s & 1800 s Technology became available in the 1940 s and 1950 s User Produ uctivity Batch 1940s 1950s Command Line Time WIMP (Windows) 1960s 1970s 1980s - Present?? Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 5 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 6 Paradigm: Batch Processing Innovator: Vannevar Bush Computer had one task, performed sequentially No interaction between operator and computer after starting the run Punch cards, tapes for input Serial operations As We May Think - 1945 Atlantic Monthly publication has been extended far beyond our present ability to make real use of the record. Postulated Memex device Stores all records/articles/communications Items retrieved by indexing, keywords, cross references (now called hyperlinks) (Envisioned as microfilm, not computer) Interactive and nonlinear components are key http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/flashbks/computer/bus hf.htm Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 7 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 8 Page 2
Innovator: J. R. Licklider Innovator: Ivan Sutherland 1960 - Postulated man-computer symbiosis Couple human brains and computing machines tightly to revolutionize information handling SketchPad - 1963 PhD thesis at MIT Hierarchy - pictures & subpictures Master picture with instances (ie, OOP) Icons Copying Light pen as input device Recursive operations Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 9 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 10 Paradigm: Video Display Units Innovator: Douglas Englebart More suitable medium than paper Sutherland s Sketchpad as landmark system Computers used for visualizing and manipulating data Landmark system/demo: hierarchical hypertext, multimedia, high-res display, windows, shared files, electronic messaging, teleconferencing,... Inventor of the mouse Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 11 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 12 Page 3
Innovator: Alan Kay Dynabook - Notebook sized computer loaded with multimedia and can store everything Personal computing Desktop interface Overlapping windows Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 13 Paradigm: Personal Computer System is more powerful if it s easier to use Small, powerful machine dedicated to individual Importance of networks and time-sharing Kay s Dynabook, IBM PC Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 14 Personal Computers 1974 IBM 5100 1981 Databaster 1981 IBM XT/AT Text and command-based Sold lots Performed lots of tasks the general public wanted done A good basic toolkit 1978 VisiCalc Paradigm: WIMP / GUI Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers Graphical User Interface Timesharing=multi-user; now we need multitasking WIMP interface allows you to do several things simultaneously Has become the familiar GUI interface Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 15 Xerox Alto, Star; early Apples Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 16 Page 4
PCs with GUIs Xerox Star - 1981 Xerox PARC - mid 1970 s Alto local processor, bitmap display, mouse Precursor to modern GUI, windows, menus, scrollbars LAN - Ethernet First commercial PC designed for business professionals desktop metaphor, pointing, WYSIWYG, high degree of consistency and simplicity First system based on usability engineering Paper prototyping and analysis Usability testing and iterative refinement Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 17 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 18 Xerox Star - 1981 Apple Lisa - 1982 Commercial flop Based on ideas of Star $15k cost closed architecture lacking key functionality (spreadsheet) More personal rather than office tool Still $$$ Failure Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 19 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 20 Page 5
Apple Macintosh - 1984 Aggressive pricing - $2500 Good interface guidelines 3 rd party applications High quality graphics and laser printer Innovator: Ben Shneiderman Coins and explores notion of direct manipulation of interface Long-time Director of HCI Lab at Maryland Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 21 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 22 Paradigm: Direct Manipulation 82 Shneiderman describes appeal of graphically-based interaction object visibility incremental action and rapid feedback reversibility encourages exploration replace language with action WYSIWYG, Apple Mac Paradigm: Metaphor All use is problem-solving or learning to some extent Relating computing to real-world activity is effective learning mechanism File management on office desktop Financial analysis as spreadsheets Recycling bin The tension between literalism & magic Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 23 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 24 Page 6
Innovator: Ted Nelson Paradigm: Hypertext Computers can help people, not just business Coined term hypertext Think of information not as linear flow but as interconnected nodes Bush s MEMEX, Nelson s hypertext Non-linear browsing structure WWW 93 Hypermedia Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 25 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 26 The WIMP Plateau Paradigm: Multi-modality User Produ uctivity Batch 1940s 1950s Command Line WIMP (Windows) 1960s 1970s 1980s - Present?? Mode is a human communication channel Not just the senses e.g. speech and non-speech audio are two modes Emphasis on simultaneous use of multiple channels for I/O Time Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 27 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 28 Page 7
Paradigm: Speech / Agents Actions do not always speak louder than words Interface as mediator or agent Language paradigm How good does it need to be? Tricks, vocabulary, domains How human do we want it to be? (HAL, Bob, PaperClip) Innovator: Mark Weiser Introduced notion of calm technology It s everywhere, but recedes quietly into background CTO of Xerox PARC Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 29 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 30 Paradigm: Ubiquitous Computing Person is no longer user of single device but occupant of computationally-rich environment Can no longer neglect macro-social aspects Desktops, laptops, PDAs, cell phones, 3D Interaction Six degree-of-freedom input Draw on spatial memory, kinesthesis, two- handed interaction Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 31 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 32 Page 8
Mobile Computing Questions? Devices used in a variety of contexts Employ sensors to understand how user is working with devices Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 33 Shwetak N. Patel - CSE 599U - Advanced Topics in Ubicomp 34 Page 9