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Product design history speedrun
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Look, every major shift in how we live started with someone building something weird in a garage or lab. Here's the stuff that actually changed the game:
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first computer (1935): Konrad Zuse builds first computer in his parents' living room. Wild to think it all started with a calculator that took up an entire room. New pattern: Build something simple with Arduino just to feel that early computing energy
email (1971): Ray Tomlinson invents email by deciding @ could be useful. Now we can't escape our inboxes. New pattern: Set up your own email server - it's still basically the same protocol
personal computer (1975): Ed Roberts drops the Altair 8800 and suddenly everyone could have a computer at home. New pattern: Open up your laptop and actually look at what's inside
web (1989): Tim Berners-Lee launches info.cern.ch and basically creates the entire internet vibe we know. New pattern: Code a website with just HTML, no fancy stuff
browser (1994): Netscape makes browsing actually usable. New pattern: Download an old browser emulator and see how far we've come
directory (1994): Yahoo tries to organize the chaos of the early web. New pattern: Make your own curated list of cool sites
online shop (1994): Bezos starts selling books online (spoiler: it worked out). New pattern: Find Amazon's first homepage on Wayback Machine
digital money (1998): PayPal makes sending cash as easy as sending email. New pattern: Send money to a friend in a different country, realize how easy it is now
search (1998): Google shows up and changes how we find everything. New pattern: Use DuckDuckGo for a week
social (2004): Zuck launches Facebook (back when it was cool). New pattern: Find your first social media profile
video (2005): YouTube makes everyone a broadcaster. New pattern: Upload something without editing it to death
mobile (2007): Jobs drops the iPhone and kills the keyboard. New pattern: Use your phone with just one hand for a day
apps (2007): Start eating everything. New pattern: Delete all your apps for a week
crypto (2008): Bitcoin appears out of nowhere. New pattern: Set up a wallet and buy $10 of something
ai (2018): ChatGPT shows up and everyone loses their minds. New pattern: Generate something and then make it actually good
first computer (1935): Konrad Zuse builds first computer in his parents' living room. Wild to think it all started with a calculator that took up an entire room. New pattern: Build something simple with Arduino just to feel that early computing energy
email (1971): Ray Tomlinson invents email by deciding @ could be useful. Now we can't escape our inboxes. New pattern: Set up your own email server - it's still basically the same protocol
personal computer (1975): Ed Roberts drops the Altair 8800 and suddenly everyone could have a computer at home. New pattern: Open up your laptop and actually look at what's inside
web (1989): Tim Berners-Lee launches info.cern.ch and basically creates the entire internet vibe we know. New pattern: Code a website with just HTML, no fancy stuff
browser (1994): Netscape makes browsing actually usable. New pattern: Download an old browser emulator and see how far we've come
directory (1994): Yahoo tries to organize the chaos of the early web. New pattern: Make your own curated list of cool sites
online shop (1994): Bezos starts selling books online (spoiler: it worked out). New pattern: Find Amazon's first homepage on Wayback Machine
digital money (1998): PayPal makes sending cash as easy as sending email. New pattern: Send money to a friend in a different country, realize how easy it is now
search (1998): Google shows up and changes how we find everything. New pattern: Use DuckDuckGo for a week
social (2004): Zuck launches Facebook (back when it was cool). New pattern: Find your first social media profile
video (2005): YouTube makes everyone a broadcaster. New pattern: Upload something without editing it to death
mobile (2007): Jobs drops the iPhone and kills the keyboard. New pattern: Use your phone with just one hand for a day
apps (2007): Start eating everything. New pattern: Delete all your apps for a week
crypto (2008): Bitcoin appears out of nowhere. New pattern: Set up a wallet and buy $10 of something
ai (2018): ChatGPT shows up and everyone loses their minds. New pattern: Generate something and then make it actually good
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