Alexander Obenauer
@alexanderobenauer.com
I explore the interfaces with which we think & the future of personal computing: alexanderobenauer.com
I also make books: buddybindery.com
I also make books: buddybindery.com
Reposted by Alexander Obenauer
Oh this looks amazing. Instant impulse purchase
A century before we would move from fixed-program computers to reprogrammable ones, Ada Lovelace realized that the Analytical Engine was capable of universal computation.
Reading her Notes is thrilling for her awestruck articulation of these ideas.
Available now; link in reply.
Reading her Notes is thrilling for her awestruck articulation of these ideas.
Available now; link in reply.
September 1, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Oh this looks amazing. Instant impulse purchase
A century before we would move from fixed-program computers to reprogrammable ones, Ada Lovelace realized that the Analytical Engine was capable of universal computation.
Reading her Notes is thrilling for her awestruck articulation of these ideas.
Available now; link in reply.
Reading her Notes is thrilling for her awestruck articulation of these ideas.
Available now; link in reply.
September 1, 2026 at 2:48 PM
A century before we would move from fixed-program computers to reprogrammable ones, Ada Lovelace realized that the Analytical Engine was capable of universal computation.
Reading her Notes is thrilling for her awestruck articulation of these ideas.
Available now; link in reply.
Reading her Notes is thrilling for her awestruck articulation of these ideas.
Available now; link in reply.
Reposted by Alexander Obenauer
Oh joy, this gem by @alexanderobenauer.com finally landed in my mailbox today. 😍
August 24, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Oh joy, this gem by @alexanderobenauer.com finally landed in my mailbox today. 😍
Over the last several months, we've been working on a new, physical version of Ada Lovelace’s notes.
This project was a lot of work, and a lot of fun.
This project was a lot of work, and a lot of fun.
The book is a diptych with Lovelace’s translation of Menabrea’s 1843 Sketch of the Analytical Engine on the left, and her extensive Notes A – G on the right, held in place by bronze Chicago screws.
Lovelace's writing is set in black, everything else in red.
Lovelace's writing is set in black, everything else in red.
August 19, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Over the last several months, we've been working on a new, physical version of Ada Lovelace’s notes.
This project was a lot of work, and a lot of fun.
This project was a lot of work, and a lot of fun.
Friends! Our next release:
Ada Lovelace's Notes on the Analytical Engine, in a unique construction, with a new typesetting, and a facsimile of Note G's fold-out.
Available in September. Sign up for an email notification at the link.
More details below!
buddybindery.com/products/ada...
Ada Lovelace's Notes on the Analytical Engine, in a unique construction, with a new typesetting, and a facsimile of Note G's fold-out.
Available in September. Sign up for an email notification at the link.
More details below!
buddybindery.com/products/ada...
Ada Lovelace's Notes on Babbage's Analytical Engine
This book is a new typesetting and construction of Ada Lovelace’s extensive notes on, along with her translation of, L. F. Menabrea’s Sketch of the Analytical Engine Invented by Charles Babbage, Esq. ...
buddybindery.com
August 18, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Friends! Our next release:
Ada Lovelace's Notes on the Analytical Engine, in a unique construction, with a new typesetting, and a facsimile of Note G's fold-out.
Available in September. Sign up for an email notification at the link.
More details below!
buddybindery.com/products/ada...
Ada Lovelace's Notes on the Analytical Engine, in a unique construction, with a new typesetting, and a facsimile of Note G's fold-out.
Available in September. Sign up for an email notification at the link.
More details below!
buddybindery.com/products/ada...
Hopefully grandpa doesn't mind this expense. Had to be done.
July 31, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Hopefully grandpa doesn't mind this expense. Had to be done.
Happy new ISBN day!
Always a happy day when a project reaches this point.
Always a happy day when a project reaches this point.
July 26, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Happy new ISBN day!
Always a happy day when a project reaches this point.
Always a happy day when a project reaches this point.
Something I haven't gotten to say in a while... new lab note today!
It's on a kind of user interface that pops up only occasionally: the extemporaneous UI that allows users to 'wave their wand' & get the interface they need through direct interaction.
Read on: alexanderobenauer.com/labnotes/041/
It's on a kind of user interface that pops up only occasionally: the extemporaneous UI that allows users to 'wave their wand' & get the interface they need through direct interaction.
Read on: alexanderobenauer.com/labnotes/041/
LN 041: Extemporaneous UIs
Tear-off menus, quantized semantic zoom, and spatial computational canvases show us one approach to frictionless malleable interfaces.
alexanderobenauer.com
July 20, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Something I haven't gotten to say in a while... new lab note today!
It's on a kind of user interface that pops up only occasionally: the extemporaneous UI that allows users to 'wave their wand' & get the interface they need through direct interaction.
Read on: alexanderobenauer.com/labnotes/041/
It's on a kind of user interface that pops up only occasionally: the extemporaneous UI that allows users to 'wave their wand' & get the interface they need through direct interaction.
Read on: alexanderobenauer.com/labnotes/041/
Submissions are open until August 31!
Answering some frequently asked questions:
- Submissions should be complete, but do not have to be final drafts.
- Submissions do not have to be about one particular topic. We're looking for expertise from many domains beyond CS.
[...]
Answering some frequently asked questions:
- Submissions should be complete, but do not have to be final drafts.
- Submissions do not have to be about one particular topic. We're looking for expertise from many domains beyond CS.
[...]
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
July 10, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Submissions are open until August 31!
Answering some frequently asked questions:
- Submissions should be complete, but do not have to be final drafts.
- Submissions do not have to be about one particular topic. We're looking for expertise from many domains beyond CS.
[...]
Answering some frequently asked questions:
- Submissions should be complete, but do not have to be final drafts.
- Submissions do not have to be about one particular topic. We're looking for expertise from many domains beyond CS.
[...]
We have extended the submission deadline to Monday, August 31!
We wanted to make sure folks have enough time to explore their wildest ideas.
Take some time this summer to write a chapter submission for Augment!
We wanted to make sure folks have enough time to explore their wildest ideas.
Take some time this summer to write a chapter submission for Augment!
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
June 17, 2026 at 4:04 PM
We have extended the submission deadline to Monday, August 31!
We wanted to make sure folks have enough time to explore their wildest ideas.
Take some time this summer to write a chapter submission for Augment!
We wanted to make sure folks have enough time to explore their wildest ideas.
Take some time this summer to write a chapter submission for Augment!
Beware the plan! It doesn't know what you know.
June 16, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Beware the plan! It doesn't know what you know.
Scotland has arrived in Boston.
June 13, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Scotland has arrived in Boston.
Reposted by Alexander Obenauer
We also have a "proposals" form if you'd like to get feedback on your idea before a full submission. Some wonderful submissions have already filtered in that way!
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
June 3, 2026 at 2:25 PM
We also have a "proposals" form if you'd like to get feedback on your idea before a full submission. Some wonderful submissions have already filtered in that way!
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
We also have a "proposals" form if you'd like to get feedback on your idea before a full submission. Some wonderful submissions have already filtered in that way!
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
June 3, 2026 at 2:25 PM
We also have a "proposals" form if you'd like to get feedback on your idea before a full submission. Some wonderful submissions have already filtered in that way!
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
And we have a "nominations" form if you'd like to submit a prompt for someone - a good prompt can be a wonderful gift.
Reposted by Alexander Obenauer
excited about this! more good writing on the internet should make its way to print (especially if Sarah and Alex are the ones printing!)
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
May 18, 2026 at 1:50 PM
excited about this! more good writing on the internet should make its way to print (especially if Sarah and Alex are the ones printing!)
Reposted by Alexander Obenauer
Very excited to be a part of this, and to be writing about the things we want to see and experience and build, rather than responding to the avalanche of badness that's happening around us.
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
May 15, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Very excited to be a part of this, and to be writing about the things we want to see and experience and build, rather than responding to the avalanche of badness that's happening around us.
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
May 15, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Today, I'm excited to announce our next title!
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
"Augment" is a forthcoming book featuring a collection of essays on the future of personal computing — specifically, on the kind we’d like to see more of in the future, and the ideas that might help us get there.
This Friday, I'm excited to share details on an upcoming title we're working on at Buddy Bindery & Press, plus how you can help us make it great.
Stay tuned for more.
Stay tuned for more.
May 12, 2026 at 3:20 PM
This Friday, I'm excited to share details on an upcoming title we're working on at Buddy Bindery & Press, plus how you can help us make it great.
Stay tuned for more.
Stay tuned for more.
Reposted by Alexander Obenauer
If you read Bootstrapping Computing, what questions did you walk away from it with? Did you look anything up while reading it?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?
Friends! The first run of our book Bootstrapping Computing sold out quicker than we expected. We’re processing those orders now.
We’re teeing up a limited second run, shipping in September. Preorders are open now!
Link in reply, details in thread.
We’re teeing up a limited second run, shipping in September. Preorders are open now!
Link in reply, details in thread.
April 8, 2026 at 2:06 PM
If you read Bootstrapping Computing, what questions did you walk away from it with? Did you look anything up while reading it?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?
Reposted by Alexander Obenauer
We had to say goodbye to my grandpa this week. (He had a big influence on me. Least importantly, but most tangibly, if it weren't for him I might not be in software.)
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
my grandpa's charm
unlike any other
britobenauer.substack.com
April 11, 2026 at 11:29 AM
We had to say goodbye to my grandpa this week. (He had a big influence on me. Least importantly, but most tangibly, if it weren't for him I might not be in software.)
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
We had to say goodbye to my grandpa this week. (He had a big influence on me. Least importantly, but most tangibly, if it weren't for him I might not be in software.)
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
my grandpa's charm
unlike any other
britobenauer.substack.com
April 11, 2026 at 11:29 AM
We had to say goodbye to my grandpa this week. (He had a big influence on me. Least importantly, but most tangibly, if it weren't for him I might not be in software.)
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
My sister wrote a beautiful article about him, it's a lovely exploration of a person: britobenauer.substack.com/p/my-grandpa...
I had no preparation for the phase of life during which loved ones are passing away regularly.
I'm not sure what that preparation might have been, but I still feel utterly unequipped.
I'm not sure what that preparation might have been, but I still feel utterly unequipped.
April 9, 2026 at 7:41 PM
I had no preparation for the phase of life during which loved ones are passing away regularly.
I'm not sure what that preparation might have been, but I still feel utterly unequipped.
I'm not sure what that preparation might have been, but I still feel utterly unequipped.
If you read Bootstrapping Computing, what questions did you walk away from it with? Did you look anything up while reading it?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?
Friends! The first run of our book Bootstrapping Computing sold out quicker than we expected. We’re processing those orders now.
We’re teeing up a limited second run, shipping in September. Preorders are open now!
Link in reply, details in thread.
We’re teeing up a limited second run, shipping in September. Preorders are open now!
Link in reply, details in thread.
April 8, 2026 at 2:06 PM
If you read Bootstrapping Computing, what questions did you walk away from it with? Did you look anything up while reading it?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?
Anything in it you could do without, or that served only to confuse?