Mary Allen Wilkes: The First Computer at Home
Mary Allen Wilkes: The First Computer at Home
Before personal computers had a name, one woman wrote an operating system, brought the machine home, and quietly invented working from home.
Mary Allen Wilkes wanted to be a lawyer.
Mary Allen Wilkes wanted to be a lawyer.
She loved ideas, arguments, and the careful use of words.
She loved ideas, arguments, and the careful use of words.
But one day a professor told her she should try programming computers instead.
But one day a professor told her she should try programming computers instead.
She was not sure why.
She was not sure why.
She tried it anyway.
She tried it anyway.
She ended up at MIT, where scientists were building something new.
She ended up at MIT, where scientists were building something new.
It was called the LINC.
It was called the LINC.
It was small enough to fit in a room, not in a whole building.
It was small enough to fit in a room, not in a whole building.
That was unusual at the time.
That was unusual at the time.
Mary helped write the operating system for the LINC.
Mary helped write the operating system for the LINC.
She called it LAP6.
She called it LAP6.
Her goal was simple: make it easy for a real person to use.
Her goal was simple: make it easy for a real person to use.
Most computers of that era needed specialists to operate them.
Most computers of that era needed specialists to operate them.
Mary wanted anyone to be able to sit down and work.
Mary wanted anyone to be able to sit down and work.
Then she did something even more unusual.
Then she did something even more unusual.
She took the LINC home.
She took the LINC home.
She set it up in her parents' house, in a room by a window.
She set it up in her parents' house, in a room by a window.
She worked from there every day.
She worked from there every day.
She ran programs.
She ran programs.
She typed commands.
She typed commands.
She debugged errors in the quiet of a home.
She debugged errors in the quiet of a home.
This was before the phrase 'personal computer' existed.
This was before the phrase 'personal computer' existed.
This was before anyone had imagined a computer in a living room.
This was before anyone had imagined a computer in a living room.
Mary was already doing it.
Mary was already doing it.
After a few years, she left computing and went to study law, just as she had always wanted.
After a few years, she left computing and went to study law, just as she had always wanted.
The LINC and LAP6 stayed behind in history books.
The LINC and LAP6 stayed behind in history books.
But every person who has ever opened a laptop on a kitchen table is, in some small way, following a path that Mary Allen Wilkes walked first.
But every person who has ever opened a laptop on a kitchen table is, in some small way, following a path that Mary Allen Wilkes walked first.
Moral: The future begins quietly, in ordinary rooms, long before anyone gives it a name.
Moral: The future begins quietly, in ordinary rooms, long before anyone gives it a name.