THE VIDEO SHELF · computing history
Computers for Cynics 0 - The Myth of Technology
The opening episode of Ted Nelson's Computers for Cynics series, in which he casts doubt on conventional accounts of computer basics. He argues that conventions and packaging are mistaken for technology.
Why HN readers recommended it
HN likes it for Nelson's habit of reframing computing history so that past decisions look arbitrary.
This is a summary from the source dataset, not an endorsement by Hacker News or the video creator.
Video & recommendation details
- Creator / channel
- TheTedNelson
- Topic
- computing history
- Format
- commentary
- Level
- general
- HN recommenders in dataset
- 3
- HN mentions in dataset
- 6
- Recommendation years in dataset
- 2013–2024
These counts and years describe the included Hacker News records; they are not YouTube views or the video’s publication date.
From the original HN conversations
Excerpts from the recorded comments. Follow each source for the full comment and surrounding discussion.
I love the Ted Nelson "Computers For Cynics" series - [VIDEO] He is kinda awesome in Herzog's recent 'Lo and Behold' too.
sideb0ard on Hacker News · 2016-10
In Ask HN: What's your favorite tech talk?Ted Nelson's Computers for Cynics probably doesn't contain technical information that's new to any of you, but Ted has a knack for reframing things in ways that make the arbitrariness of certain historical decisions clear: [VIDEO] On the subject of hypertext, The Web That Wasn't …
enkiv2 on Hacker News · 2018-04
In Ask HN: What is your favourite tech talk?The article has a link to a wonderful Ted Nelson series on YouTube that explores that kind of thing in more depth: Computers for Cynics. [VIDEO]
drewcoo on Hacker News · 2024-05
In The accidental tyranny of user interfaces
Summaries, classifications and recommendation records are from the HackerTube source dataset. Read about this library and its limitations.
