Thomas K. Landauer’s scientific contributions

The electronic digital computer is only about half a century old. Despite this fact, it has already had an enormous impact on people's lives, and the technology is still in a phase of rapid development. The most apparent trend that has characterized the progress in the technology over that time has been the ever-decreasing size of computing components that has allowed the packaging of ever-larger amounts of computing power into less and less space. Although many industries have invested heavily in computer-based tools for their workers, compelling evidence that the investment has paid off, either in terms of anticipated gains in productivity or increased satisfaction of most workers with their jobs or most people with their lives, is wanting. This chapter discusses the history, state, and prospects of information technology in order to consider a representative sample of human-computer interaction issues relating to the uses of this technology and to raise some questions for future research, innovation and development. The intent is to discuss only enough to provide a sketchy account of the technological context in which the issues of interaction arise.