An Unexpected Influence: Ivan Illich and the PC
Turns out my political/philosophical hero Ivan Illich (‘Austrian philosopher, Roman Catholic priest, and “maverick social critic” of the institutions of contemporary western culture’ - wikipedia) was influential in the original social form and design of the personal computer.
Turns out a fellow named Lee Felsenstein ‘played a central role in the development of the personal computer’, and he in turn was apparently influenced by Illich’s philosophy, in particular his piece ‘Tools For Conviviality.’
What a strange coincidence! Time for a re-read and re-ponder…
