“On the surface, the fundamental idea of a direct manipulation interface to a task flies in the face of two thousand years of development of abstract formalisms as a means of understanding and controlling the world. Until very recently, the use of computers has been an activity squarely

in that tradition. So the exterior of direct manipulation, providing as it does for the direct control of a specific task world, seems somehow atavistic, a return to concrete thinking.”66

https://interfacecritique.net/journal/volume-1/scherffig-there-is-no-interface/ Some interesting stuff here, though I'm not sure I buy into the gestalt psychology stuff. This journal seems to have other neat stuff (that I haven't read) too. I saw something on xanadu in the table of contents.

Thanks for the highlight. This is a very interesting read.