Introduction:
Alan Kay, a Turing Laureate and pioneer in object-oriented programming languages, shares his insights on teaching a first course in computer science. He emphasizes the need for a different approach that resonates with high school and college students.

Inspiration from Tony Hoare’s Turing Lecture:
Kay draws inspiration from Tony Hoare’s Turing lecture, which highlighted the improvements brought by Algol, particularly in comparison to its successors.

Early Experiences in Computing:
Kay’s recent talk at CIGSE focused on sharing his early experiences in computing, primarily targeting high school and first-year college students.

Avoiding Complaints:
Recognizing that complaints are often met with resistance, Kay decided to take a different approach by envisioning what a first course in high school or college would look like if he were to teach it.

Don Knuth’s Quote:
Kay opens his lecture with a quote from Don Knuth, highlighting the importance of practicality over theoretical correctness in the field of computer science.

Mathematics in Computer Science:
Kay emphasizes the need for a new mathematics to describe the field of computer science, suggesting that classical mathematics may not be sufficient.

The Nature of Computer Science and Software Engineering:
Computer science and software engineering are relatively new fields. The terms “computer science” and “software engineering” were coined to aspire to a higher level of rigor and organization. However, these fields are still in their infancy and lack a well-defined foundation.

The Lack of Engineering Practices:
There are no instances in the field of computer science or software engineering where a large team has successfully completed a significant project in a short timeframe. The best practices in the field are comparable to Gothic cathedrals, which take a long time to complete but can be constructed using less material compared to ancient Egyptian or Babylonian structures.

The Importance of Educating Students:
Educators should be honest with students about the nascent state of computer science and software engineering. Students should be taught to understand the scope of computing and help invent the future of the field. PhDs in the early days of ARPA were granted for genuine advancements, not just minor contributions.

A Simplified Model of Motivations:
There is a significant disparity between people who are instrumental reasoners and those who are primarily interested in ideas. This disparity affects various aspects of computing, including user interface design and education.

Instrumental Reasoners:
Most people, about 95%, are instrumental reasoners who assess new tools or ideas based on their contribution to their current goals. They are practical and pragmatic, prioritizing immediate objectives over abstract concepts.

Inner-Motivated and Idea-Oriented Individuals:
About 5% of people are primarily motivated by ideas and readily adapt their goals and actions when presented with new concepts. They are easier to teach, especially when it comes to abstract and innovative subjects like science.

Reward-Based Motivation:
Approximately 85% of people are motivated by external rewards, while 15% are driven by intrinsic factors. The outer-motivated group is more practical and less likely to embrace new ideas unless they align with their current goals.

Consensus and Gradual Change:
The outer-motivated majority tends to adopt new ideas and behaviors gradually, through a consensus-building process. This process resembles a forest fire, where a small spark of an idea spreads slowly until it reaches a tipping point, leading to widespread acceptance.

Tipping Point for Acceptance:
In contagion models, about two-thirds of the outer-motivated group needs to agree with an idea before it becomes widely accepted. This phenomenon is evident in social trends, such as fashion and cultural norms, where a gradual shift occurs before sudden widespread adoption.

30-Year Lag in Technology Adoption:
There is a noticeable time lag between the introduction of new technologies and their general acceptance, often spanning around 30 years. This pattern is observed in various fields, including computing, where innovative ideas may take decades to gain widespread adoption.

Doug Engelbart’s Revolutionary Ideas:
Doug Engelbart’s pioneering concepts, introduced over 40 years ago, are still not fully understood by most people. This highlights the challenge in disseminating and gaining acceptance for transformative ideas, especially when they are ahead of their time.

Simplicity vs. Complexity:
Many people take delight in complexity, even when simpler solutions exist. In computing, the joy of simplicity should be pursued.

Successful Projects:
Successful projects often emphasize simplicity. The ARPA and Xerox PARC communities excelled at simplicity.

Simplicity in Notable Projects:
Chuck Thacker’s Alto computer was developed in just three months due to its simplicity. Dan Engel and Metcalf and Boggs also embraced simplicity in their work. Gary Starkweather’s first laser printer utilized readily available parts from a scientific hobby catalog.

Simplicity in Networking:
The Ethernet, despite its perceived inefficiency, has proven to be reliable and widely used.

Maxwell’s Equations:
Maxwell’s equations, while complex to understand, simplify our understanding of electromagnetism.

Systems Design and the U.S. Constitution:
Alan Kay emphasizes the U.S. Constitution as an example of effective systems design, highlighting its ability to function with millions of diverse components for over 200 years. The Constitution’s effectiveness is attributed to its focus on principles rather than specific laws or cases. This allows for adaptability and longevity.

Teaching Computing to Beginners:
Kay advocates for teaching beginners the power of simplicity in computing, emphasizing the significance of a solid foundation in core principles.

Junior and Senior Students’ Knowledge and Learning:
Kay expresses concern about the limited knowledge of junior and senior students, despite their proximity to graduation. He highlights the problematic nature of their existing knowledge, which can hinder their thinking and productivity.

Interdisciplinary Approach to Education:
Kay proposes teaching math and science together, emphasizing their interconnectedness and complementary roles. He also suggests combining systems and computing, as well as incorporating arts and engineering. This interdisciplinary approach aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of various fields and their impact on civilization.

Computing Literacy as a Key Aspect of Education:
Kay stresses the significance of viewing computing as a form of literacy, similar to English literacy. He draws parallels between the impact of the printing press on language and the potential impact of computing on modern society. Kay emphasizes the importance of understanding computing’s broader implications, beyond vocational training and programming.

Distinction between Programming and Computer Science:
Kay differentiates between programming and computer science, emphasizing that they are distinct fields. He compares the relationship between programming and computer science to that of bricklaying and building a cathedral. Understanding one field is necessary for the other, but they require different skill sets and knowledge.

Lorenz’s Duckling Experiment:
Conrad Lorenz’s experiment with ducklings demonstrated the concept of imprinting, where a duckling follows the first moving object it sees during a critical period as its mother.

Imprinting in Education:
When introducing a subject to students, educators must be aware that they may be acting as a Conrad Lorenz figure and imprinting certain concepts on them.

Data Structures and Algorithms:
While data structures and algorithms are important, they should not be the center of computer science education. The focus should be on systems thinking, mathematical and scientific approaches.

Importance of Systems Thinking:
Students need to understand the whole picture and think in terms of systems, rather than just focusing on individual components.

Alan Kay’s Conrad Lorenz Moment:
Kay shares his own experience of being imprinted by Ivan Sutherland’s thesis on Sketchpad, which revolutionized his understanding of computer graphics.

Sketchpad:
Sketchpad, developed by Ivan Sutherland, was a groundbreaking program that allowed users to draw and manipulate objects on a computer screen. It featured innovative concepts such as a clipping window, object instances, and constraint-based design.

Two-Handed User Interfaces:
Sketchpad’s user interface required two hands, demonstrating the importance of multi-handed interactions in user interfaces.

Random Dot Display:
The dot display in Sketchpad was intentionally randomized to prevent users from experiencing seasickness.

Instances and Classes:
Sketchpad introduced the concept of instances and classes, allowing users to create multiple instances of an object and make changes to the master class that would be reflected in all instances.

Ivan Sutherland’s Sketchpad: A Revolutionary Tool:
Sketchpad’s groundbreaking capabilities allowed users to create and modify dynamic simulations by simply drawing and defining relationships, revolutionizing computer-aided design. Sutherland’s thesis, completed in a remarkable one-year timeframe, introduced the first graphic system, object-oriented software system, and dynamic problem-solving system.

The Birth of Object-Oriented Programming:
The discovery of Simula, a programming language from Norway, introduced the concept of procedures for manipulating complex data structures, leading to the early understanding of object-oriented programming. Simula’s influence liberated programmers from the limitations of Sketchpad’s elegant but unscalable solver, opening up possibilities for graphic and interactive manipulation.

Alan Kay’s Vision: Software Computers and Abstraction:
Kay’s background in molecular biology and mathematics influenced his view of Sketchpad as a kernel for a more abstract approach to computing. By considering systems as cheap versions of computers on the ARPANET, Kay realized that the scaling problem could be solved in software, subsuming all computing under one concept: the software computer.

Practical Object-Oriented Programming: Engineering and Optimization:
The development of practical OOP at Xerox PARC focused on software engineering and optimization, similar to the earlier efforts in LISP. The goal was to make elegant and powerful programming languages run faster without compromising the user experience.

The Legacy of Sketchpad and OOP:
Sketchpad’s influence continues to shape the field of computer science, inspiring generations of researchers and developers. The evolution of object-oriented programming has led to widely used and influential programming languages such as Java and Python, shaping the modern software landscape.

Key Principles and Preferences:
Alan Kay emphasizes the significance of messages as abstractions, urging a shift from focusing solely on objects to understanding the underlying communication mechanisms. He expresses his love for parallelism, influenced by his early experiences with plug boards. He praises the hardware of the B5000 for its parallel capabilities and considers it the inspiration for today’s virtual machines. He advocates for understanding Lisp and appreciates the beauty of JOS, despite its limited functionality.

The Genesis of Logo:
Kay describes the original Logo programming language as an attempt to combine the elegance of Lisp with a more user-friendly interface, particularly for children. He holds a deep appreciation for APL and believes that various programming systems could be approached differently.

The Essence of Exceptional Systems:
Kay highlights the remarkable achievements of Engelbart, spreadsheets, and HyperCard. He envisions amalgamating these concepts into a simple system accessible to non-experts.

The Importance of Choice in Education:
Frank Oppenheimer’s approach to teaching science through 500 exhibits inspired Kay’s belief in providing multiple projects or options for students. He proposes having 20 to 30 projects per area to cater to diverse learning styles and preferences.

Scratch Programming:
Kay briefly mentions the significance of scratch programming, leaving the details to be explored in a later discussion.

Beginner-Friendly Programming Languages:
Alan Kay believes programming languages should be capable of performing interesting tasks without relying on libraries. He compares this to the Model T, which had a limited number of parts and could be disassembled and reassembled over a weekend.

Valuable Computing Literature:
Kay acknowledges that there are a few worthwhile books about computing that explore important ideas and concepts. He emphasizes that less than 1% of computing books are worth reading, but there are dozens of valuable ones available.

User Interface Design:
Kay criticizes Microsoft’s user interface design, comparing it to a dangerous nuclear reactor control panel. He advocates for user interfaces that are intuitive and allow users to engage with ideas without being overwhelmed by complexity.

Flow State and Learning:
Kay introduces the concept of flow state, a balance between abilities and challenges where individuals are fully engaged and productive. He suggests that beginner-friendly programming environments should aim to widen the flow state for learners.

Safety and Attention in Programming Environments:
Kay emphasizes the importance of safety features like undo in programming environments to reduce anxiety and promote learning. He also highlights the need for engaging user interfaces that can capture and maintain users’ attention.

Children’s Experience with Computing:
Kay discusses the importance of providing children with experiences that involve thinking about ideas and creating visual representations of them. He believes this approach can help children develop a deeper understanding of computing concepts.

Teaching Concepts Through Real-World Examples:
Use relatable examples to engage children’s interest, such as learning to drive their parents’ car, to teach programming concepts.

Designing a Car:
When designing a car, children tend to add large off-road tires, reflecting their desire for power and control.

Video Game Violence and Empowerment:
Video game violence often appeals to the desire for empowerment and feeling in control.

Introduction to Variables:
It’s important for children to understand the concept of variables early on and to learn about their role in programming.

Uniformity of Objects:
In Kay’s system, there is only one kind of object, allowing for a simplified and cohesive understanding of programming.

Scripter and the Viewer:
The Scripter and Viewer concepts allow for a deeper understanding of meta-programming and the ability to manipulate objects within the system.

Sideways Composition:
Kay introduces the concept of sideways composition, which involves combining objects horizontally rather than vertically through inheritance.

Object as an Object:
Kay demonstrates the idea of viewing an object as an object, allowing for introspection and meta-programming capabilities.

Meta-Programming Demonstration:
Kay suppresses all costumes on all objects to illustrate the underlying similarities and abstract nature of the system.

Building Safe Meta-Systems:
Meta-systems, or systems that control other systems, are safe when they allow for multiple layers of protection and control. This can be achieved through fences or barriers that prevent unauthorized access or unintended consequences.

Croquet: A Free and Constructible 3D Environment:
Croquet is a free and open-source 3D environment that allows users to build and interact with 3D worlds. Each 3D world in Croquet is like a web page, and portals serve as hyperlinks to connect these worlds.

Bridge Building and Simulation:
The presentation includes a demonstration of a bridge-building environment where users can create and simulate bridges using a scripting language. The script controls the forces acting on the bridge, such as gravity and wind, and allows users to adjust parameters like mass, velocity, and acceleration.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Simulation:
The demonstration also includes a simulation of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which famously collapsed due to wind-induced resonance. The simulation uses a script to control the wind’s behavior and allows users to observe the bridge’s response under varying wind conditions.

Meta-Systems and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge:
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse highlights the importance of meta-systems in controlling complex systems. By allowing users to manipulate the bridge’s parameters and observe its behavior, the simulation provides a meta-level of control that enables experimentation and learning.

Final Words:
Alan Kay emphasizes the importance of captivating children’s interest in computer science by highlighting the beauty and allure of the field.

Duty to Enjoy and Share:
Kay stresses the responsibility of computer scientists to revel in the wonders of their discipline and actively share that enthusiasm with the younger generation.

Looking Back and Moving Forward:
He reminds the audience that the true potential of computer science has yet to be fully realized, emphasizing the importance of continual progress and innovation.

Encouraging Children:
Kay encourages computer scientists to inspire children at an early age, nurturing their curiosity and potential in the field.

Gratitude and Farewell:
The speaker expresses gratitude to Alan Kay for his inspiring talk and presents a token of appreciation. The Turing Award lecture concludes, and attendees are invited to dinner followed by the 10th-anniversary reunion of the golf event.