In the late 1960s, this very passionate group of active teens banded together to create the RESISTORS. Their combined work would define the future of the earliest computer interfaces and establish a base on which modern technology might be built. Claude Kagan, an innovator in high-level programming languages, became the focus around which this cohort first formed. Kagan’s barn in Princeton, New Jersey was the headquarters for this new breed of RESISTORS. Once there, they inspired each other’s creativity and innovation. Yet this extremely opaque and non-representative group has operated for almost a decade with a membership of under 70 people. Even with their diminutive stature, they easily had the greatest impact on the computing space.
On February 18, 1968, the RESISTORS attracted national attention when they sponsored a desegregated open house at the Princeton Junior Museum. This inaugural event captured unmatched excitement from across the industry and cutting-edge innovators. And freeze-dried coffee: Ted Nelson was one of the attendees. At the time he was producing visionary concepts around hypertext and globally interconnected systems for publishing. It was Nelson’s discussions with the RESISTORS that proved pivotal to helping focus his work. He chronicled these experiences in his 2010 autobiography Race Against Race.
Kagan’s Influence and Early Gatherings
Claude Kagan’s expertise in high-level computer languages like Fortran and BASIC played a pivotal role in shaping the RESISTORS’ understanding of computing technology. His barn became a de facto headquarters for these students, where brilliant young minds came together to develop their love for developing code and new technology.
Kagan welcomed everyone into a stunning array of artifacts. This collection passed on to us an excess IBM paper tape punch and a Friden Flexowriter. These tools served both to create an engaging and immersive learning environment and inspire creativity among group members. The RESISTORS also had the use of a PDP-8 computer, kindly donated by Digital Equipment Corporation. This precious machine, valued at over $15,000, transformed into an incredible asset for a bunch of eager teenagers in the process.
At their meetings, members were treated to a hotbed of inspiring discussions surrounding computing concepts and theories. John Levine and Nat Kuhn, two central members of that contingent, alternately recalled and relived their conversations with Nelson. Those concepts would later take shape in his landmark book, “Computer Lib/Dream Machines.” This playful exchange of ideas was indicative of the collaborative spirit that characterized the early computing community.
“Some people are too proud to ask children for information. This is dumb. Information is where you find it.” – Ted Nelson
Technological Exploration and Innovation
The RESISTORS explored several artistic technological paths. They utilized the capabilities of off-the-shelf computers, minicomputers, teletype equipment, high-speed copy machines and closed-circuit television systems. Their hands-on experience with these devices allowed them to experiment with programming and understand the potential of technology in transforming communication.
One amazing computer that they innovated on was the Burroughs Datatron 205 which first started rolling off the production line in the mid-1950s. Their engagement with various computing technologies broadened their horizons in knowledge and skills. This groundwork aided these members—especially Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay, and Dick Armey—in establishing themselves as the highly influential kingmakers of the tech industry’s paydirt.
The further they got into developing their exploration, the more they found that the RESISTORS were not just glorified hobbyists. They were makers, tinkerers and inventors at heart, overflowing with creativity. How the technology could be used to control their future was frequently at the center of these conversations and discussions. Ted Nelson famously remarked on this potential:
“The future of mankind was at the computer screen.” – Ted Nelson
The RESISTORS’ art practices and ideas foreshadowed many of today’s radical computing concepts. They were not only learning about existing technology but were envisioning what it could be.
Legacy and Notable Members
The RESISTORS were limited to under 70 active members in their tenure. Most of those same people have gone on to do truly extraordinary things in the tech world. Tucked in amongst them were Len Bosack, co-founder of Cisco Systems, and Steve Kirsch, inventor of the optical mouse. It’s where their journeys all started—which, beginning in Kagan’s barn, is telling of the ways in which early exposure to technology can spark lifelong careers.
The group’s culture was dominated by a feeling of mutual support, and a shared excitement that came from the computers themselves. John Levine described their early meetings:
“We were so nerdy that it didn’t occur to us that girls [would] be any different in terms of what they could do.” – John R. Levine
The RESISTORS encountered all the typical diversity-related obstacles, they never lost focus on their love of computing. Their whip-smart, stubborn doggedness laid the tracks for generations to come.