After searching Google for the word
“memex”, I came across a video called “Memex animation –Vannevar Bush’s
diagrams made real”. The video, which was uploaded on November 18, 2009, was
exactly that. The 2:33 video was simply a narrated animation of the memex both
illustrating and visualizing the invention Bush mentioned in both of his
articles. It explained the various functions that Bush idealized and even fit
the description including the control keyboard and desk structure he
envisioned.
Watching
the video was interesting to see the memex in action. Although the idea was
monumental at the time, it seems very old fashioned and out dated viewing it in
the present. Technology has advanced significantly since the first article was
written. The original article “As We May Think” published back in 1945 talks
highly of various inventions of the time such as photography, or telephones. I
doubt that Bush had any idea that a device would be developed that could
perform both those actions and much more. Similarly aftering reading the
commentary on the original article which mentioned “new ways of human/machine
interaction” I do not think anyone at the time could believe how engrained
technology has become within out society. Bush’s idea of a memex has been
fulfilled in a more advanced way then he ever could have imagined. These days
many handheld devices can perform all the functions he imagined at an
incredibly fast rate. Touch screens on electronics completely discard the idea
of control keyboards and the idea of rechargeable batteries makes the idea
portable and quite prominent in everyday life. This animation only further illustrates
how advanced technology, and how quickly it has progressed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c539cK58ees
Very interesting animation. It matches with the Mimex Simulator I found when I searched google. I definitely agree with you that back in 1945, these concept could never have been replicated like they are today. I believe this drive to reach these goals inspired many at the time and sparked the computer revolution to make the technologies we have today
ReplyDeleteI thought that was a very interesting video about the Memex. It is interesting to see how much technology has grown since the time of Bush's device.
ReplyDelete