[svfig-announce] Wired News article about Jef Raskin, our January SVFIG presenter

[David L. Jaffe]

Mac Founders Push for New Ideas
From: Wired News - 01/06/2004
By: Daniel Terdiman

Some of the creators and designers of the original Macintosh PC, which
celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, are disappointed that today's
computers are not significantly more advanced than the early Macs, and blame
this lack of innovation on a resistance to radical ideas, at least at Apple.
Former Apple programmer Jef Raskin, considered by many to be the "father of
the Macintosh," argues that graphical user interfaces need to change rapidly,
and complains that Apple staff suffer from a paucity of interface knowledge
and understanding. His current project is a new computing environment known
as The Humane Interface, which is supposed to operate at a far higher level
of efficiency than Windows or the Mac OS. Meanwhile, onetime original Mac
team member Andy Hertzfeld believes that Apple's rate of innovation far
exceeds that of the mainstream industry, though at the same time he is
puzzled at the inertia exhibited by the PC industry in the 20 years since the
original Mac's debut. "Personal computers are still way too frustrating and
hard to use," he admits. Another member of the original Mac development team,
Bill Atkinson, is more enthusiastic about the Mac's progress since 1984,
noting that its ability to help ordinary users carry out sophisticated tasks
remains one of its most appealing features. He also points out that the
transition of once-expensive, customized capabilities such as video-editing
tools into standard Mac features is proof of the continued evolution of the
PC.  

http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,61799,00.html