Book Review: Leonardo's Laptop by Ben Shneiderman
Leonardo’s Laptop: Human Needs and the New Computing Technologies by Ben Shneiderman (2002) is a book that combines the evolution of technological advances with the artistic, mathematical, and scientific work of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Historians estimate that da Vinci filled 13,500 pages with his writings and artistry. Today, 5,000 pages are still in existence. Here are some of the key points from Leonardo’s Laptop: Page 5: “Leonardo was the first person to accurately draw and recognize the role of curved spines in humans.” Page 5: “Leonardo had a distinctly inquisitive mind and capacity for independent thinking that led him to go further than his contemporaries on many topics.” Page 13: “Four universal states of man: Mirth, weeping, contention, and work.” Page 57: “We admire Leonardo da Vinci for his scientific spirit, his artistic skill, and his desire to produce something of value that also pleased his patrons. He painte...