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Seems like it's debatable depending on your definition of "notebook": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notebook_interface#History

But also, even if it's true, it's kind of an offputting way to start the article. I know that's his thing and I know it's discussed every time one of these is posted here so apologies for the repetitive observation.

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That wiki page says

> According to Stephen Wolfram: "The idea of a notebook is to have an interactive document that freely mixes code, results, graphics, text and everything else.

By that description Smalltalk with its workspace goes back to the 70s. (I don't know if there's anything closer to the Mathematica notebooks from that era.)

Very off putting. I hate to admit that I stopped reading afterward. I don't like to be that way, but there's a lot to read out here.

If it makes you feel any better, same.

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