What if the entire history of computing is just one long attempt to remove friction?
A simple timeline 👇
1. Physical switches and wires Early computers required humans to flip switches and rewire hardware. You didn’t use the computer. You became part of it.
2. Binary machine code 1s and 0s written directly into memory. Perfect logic. No abstraction. One mistake and nothing worked.
3. Assembly language Human-readable symbols replaced raw binary. Still technical, but finally readable.
4. Command line interfaces DOS and Unix. You typed exact commands and memorized syntax to get anything done.
5. High-level programming languages C, Java, Python. Humans described logic and intent. Machines handled execution.
6. Operating systems and APIs Developers stopped talking to hardware directly. Software talked to software.
7. Graphical user interfaces Windows, icons, mouse. Computers adapted to human vision instead of humans adapting to machines.
8. Touch and mobile computing Gestures, sensors, multitouch. Your body became part of the interface.
9. Voice and natural language You stopped learning commands and started speaking normally.
10. AI intent-based systems *WE ARE HERE* You describe the goal. The computer decides how to do it.
11. Brain-computer interfaces *IN DEVELOPMENT* Thought becomes input. Language becomes optional.
Every step removed one thing...friction between human intent and machine action.
We are moving from tools we operate to systems that execute intent.
The final interface isn’t code.
It’s thought.
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What if the entire history of computing is just one long attempt to remove friction?
A simple timeline 👇
1. Physical switches and wires
Early computers required humans to flip switches and rewire hardware.
You didn’t use the computer. You became part of it.
2. Binary machine code
1s and 0s written directly into memory.
Perfect logic. No abstraction. One mistake and nothing worked.
3. Assembly language
Human-readable symbols replaced raw binary.
Still technical, but finally readable.
4. Command line interfaces
DOS and Unix.
You typed exact commands and memorized syntax to get anything done.
5. High-level programming languages
C, Java, Python.
Humans described logic and intent. Machines handled execution.
6. Operating systems and APIs
Developers stopped talking to hardware directly.
Software talked to software.
7. Graphical user interfaces
Windows, icons, mouse.
Computers adapted to human vision instead of humans adapting to machines.
8. Touch and mobile computing
Gestures, sensors, multitouch.
Your body became part of the interface.
9. Voice and natural language
You stopped learning commands and started speaking normally.
10. AI intent-based systems *WE ARE HERE*
You describe the goal.
The computer decides how to do it.
11. Brain-computer interfaces *IN DEVELOPMENT*
Thought becomes input.
Language becomes optional.
Every step removed one thing...friction between human intent and machine action.
We are moving from tools we operate
to systems that execute intent.
The final interface isn’t code.
It’s thought.