a theory of timing, kept as a window

Push the window open.

Technology windows open when enough pieces quietly line up. This one gives a few inches a day, and only to someone actually pushing.

morning. now the real work starts.

press and hold the sash to push.

Windows on record

Around five years to push one open. Around five more to matter. Then they stay open a surprisingly long time.

Apple IIopened 1977 · held 15 years
DOSopened 1981 · ten years and counting, he said
Macintoshopened 1984 · a $100M Lisa on the way
The webopened 1993 · still holding the wall up
Mobileopened 2007 · you are probably holding it
Machines that talk backopening now · push

“Sometimes you start before the window’s quite open, and you can’t get through it. You push it up, and you push it up. Sometimes it just takes a lot of work.”

Steve Jobs, MIT Sloan, spring 1992