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Susan Kare explains Macintosh UI ergonomics on the Computer Chronicles (1984)

Susan Kare explains Macintosh UI ergonomics on the Computer Chronicles (1984) on HackerTube: recommended by 2 Hacker News commenters across 2 separate months, 2020–2022.

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A 1984 Computer Chronicles segment in which Susan Kare explains the ergonomics and interface design of the original Macintosh. She introduces the interface step by step for newcomers.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Praised as a lesson in explaining technology to non-technical people and as a window into early Mac design.

people recommended it
2
separate months
2
strong recommendations
1
discussed on HN
2020–2022
“I think some of us (me included) would do well to keep this video in mind when explaining technology to non-technical people.”
— dorkwood, Jun 2021, in “The Woman Who Gave the Macintosh a Smile (2018)”

What HN commenters said

5 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.

dorkwoodJun 2021Strongly recommends

I love this video of Kare giving an introduction to the Mac interface on "Computer Chronicles" back in 1984 [1]. At first it seems quaint to see how slowly and carefully she explains what we now consider to be basic UI features. But then you realize that for many people in the world, a desktop computer is just as strange and confusing to them now as it was to most people back then. I think some of us (me included) would do well to keep this video in mind when explaining technology to non-technical people. [1] ▶ this video

in “The Woman Who Gave the Macintosh a Smile (2018)” · View on HN

aasasdJul 2022Recommends

Yeah, I'm kinda getting into these vids from the seventies and eighties. “Introducing The Amazing Compact Disc, 1982” [link] — “You can pick it up and move around, even shake, and nothing happens”, yeah sure bud. “Introduction to Microsoft Excel, 1992” [link] “Susan Kare explains Macintosh UI ergonomics on the Computer Chronicles, 1984” ▶ this video — the control panel is just astounding by modern standards, especially seeing as for me the control panel is a litmus test of an OS interface. Also one of my favorite music-making tutorials is the three-part, three-hour series ‘Intro to Synthesis’ from sometime in the early 80s: [link] — instead of going through all the terminology in ten minutes and one second, the guy takes his time twiddling knobs and showing what each one does.

in “Ed is the standard text editor (2014)” · View on HN

neilvMay 2022Cites it

"Susan Kare explains Macintosh UI ergonomics on the Computer Chronicles (1984)" ▶ this video She's demonstrating something pretty new and significant to a lot of people. Maybe software job interviews have followed a related arc, to amped-up performance art rituals and shibboleths, from genuine meaningful down-to-earth conversation.

in “The Making Of Grand Theft Auto (1996) [video]” · View on HN

dangNov 2021Cites it

Ok, we've changed the URL to that from ▶ this video above. Thanks! (I changed the timestamp to where they start interviewing Susan Kare.)

in “Susan Kare Explains Macintosh UI Ergonomics (1984) [video]” · View on HN

jonny_ehAug 2020Cites it

> The person missing from this list who I'd like to see added is Susan Kare. She defined the look of the original Mac and iPod, designing its original bitmap fonts and icons. Hugely influential. Absolutely! Susan Kare explains Macintosh UI ergonomics: ▶ this video

in “Greg Joswiak replaces Phil Schiller as head of Apple marketing” · View on HN

Topics & tags

GUI, HCI & interface historyUX & UI designHistory of computingsusan karemacintoshui designcomputer chronicleshistory of computing