Konzepte der Mensch-Computer-Kommunikation in den 1960er Jahren: J. C.R. Licklider, Douglas Engelbart und der Computer als Intelligenzverstärker

In the history of data processing and computer science the early 1960s were a phase of fundamental decisions. Standards in computer architecture and hardware that are still valid today were established to a large extent. The period of prototypes was finally over. Driven by the military needs in the cold war computers had become industrially manufactured products. At the same time a profound discussion about the nature of the computer arose. On the one side were those arguing that the computer was a means for mechanization and automation of mental activities. For the advocates of this direction the human user was a potential disruptive factor and should therefore have a little possibility for intervention as possible. On the other hand the human factor was considered central for system design, and the organization of hardware and software was oriented towards the needs and abilities of the user. A fundamental redefinition of the computer as a kind of intelligence amplifier originated from this way of thinking. This article focuses on this process and its consequences for the development of human-computer interaction