Technology

Mark Weiser, the late chief technologist at Xerox PARC, wrote something in 1991 that has haunted me ever since I first encountered it: “The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it.” He was not speaking metaphorically. He meant it as a design imperative, a north star for anyone building tools meant to serve human beings rather than demand their worship. ...

The essence of service has not changed in centuries. What has changed are the instruments at our disposal. A butler in 1890 carried a pocket watch and a leather-bound ledger; his counterpart today wields a smartphone and a suite of invisible applications. The purpose remains identical: to anticipate needs, coordinate complexity, and ensure that everything runs smoothly without the principals ever noticing the machinery behind the curtain. ...