The Dream Machine: J.C.R. Licklider and the Revolution That Made Computing Personal
by M. Mitchell Waldrop

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Book Reviews of The Dream Machine: J.C.R. Licklider and the Revolution That Made Computing Personal

Book Review: Turning a Vision of Expanded Human Potential into Reality!
Summary: 5 Stars

Mr. Waldrop provides a valuable synthesis of several important perspectives:

(1) The development of personal, interconnected computing from its fundamental roots in academic and corporate scientific thinking, conceptualization, and experimentation;

(2) How the vision of one man, Professor J. C. R. Licklider, played an important role in nurturing the development of this form of computing;

(3) How creating a computing community that frequently shared ideas in-person and on-line accelerated the development of the technology and the society it served; and

(4) How the contributions of the major and minors players fit together to bring us where we are today.

Whenever I read a book about the history or current state of computing in the future, The Dream Machine will be valuable for helping me put the observations into context. This is true despite the fact that I have been doing consulting in this industry for almost 30 years, and had early access to many of its important innovations.

In fact, if you only read one book about computers in the next two years, The Dream Machine should be that book.

As valuable as I found that framing of the development, I was even more impressed with seeing how to foster fundamental human development through this example. Professor Licklider was trained initially in psychology. From that unusual perspective on computers, he quickly perceived what humans can do better than computers (make judgments, fine distinctions, and decide what order to do things in) and what computers can do better than humans (make difficult calculations, remember lots of things at the same time, and rearrange mountains of information into new forms of order). He also foresaw that the full exploitation of these combinations would have to come from playing with a responsive computer that did your bidding during real time. Although he knew that the costs of such would be prohibitive for many years, he helped encourage first time sharing and later software protocols that would bring the experience to as many people as soon as possible. Although he was not alone in his perception of all this, he was unique in his dedication and influence in bringing it all together through a long career as an academic and business researcher, visionary leader, professor, mentor, and twice head of ARPA computing activities in the Pentagon. His life should be an object lesson to all about how much difference one can make through bringing the right people and resources together to work on the right questions.

If you are like me, you will find reading about Professor Licklider to be one of the most moving experiences you will ever have from reading a combination of history and biography.

Some will complain because the book relies primarily on secondary sources. I found that foundation in books and stories I know well to be its strength. There is an enormous amount written about the history of computers and key people. How it all fits together is what I needed, not a new theory of what happened.

Having been in the middle of or next to much of what is described here, I also came away with many new perspectives on where computing should go from here. In essence, this book succeeded in transferring Professor Licklider's vision and perspectives to me. Having seen how profound his vision has been, I can only hope that this transfer will take place for many people and coming generations through this outstanding book.

I should note that for those who are not technically oriented this book is easy to read and understand, even though it is about a technical subject. I was also impressed that the personalities of the various pioneers in computer research came through loud and clear. Many of these people are known to me primarily through their accomplishments. I was glad to find out about them as people.

After you finish this wonderful book, I encourage you to think about where you have a unique vision for how to improve the world that no one else understands or is as committed to as you are. How can you advance that understanding to the benefit of all?

Take a long, hard look at how we can come closer to our potential as humans!...

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