Author Topic: RIP: Douglas Englebart (Read 1185 times)

Xairbusdriver · « **on:** July 04, 2013, 08:09:46 AM »

Douglas Englebart, who invented the computer mouse, died yesterday at the age of 88. His last of 21 patents, granted in 1970, was for for: "An X-Y position indicator control for movement by hand over any surface to move a cursor over the display on a cathode ray tube..."

kimmer · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2013, 03:35:26 PM »

Not sure if our newscasters are correct, but they said he sold his patent to Apple for what's truly a very small amount of money and he never received any royalties for his invention.

gunug · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:19:59 PM »

Surely the mouse was used by Xerox before Apple's Lisa?

Xairbusdriver · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:47:01 PM »

PARC did use a mouse and that was a major part of what Mr. Jobs 'borrowed.' Here's a site that provides lots of details and additional links that may help decipher what we are told by 'news' sources!

Englebart Instutue

Xairbusdriver · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2013, 08:43:26 PM »

TidBITS #1181 provides a link to a "Mother of All Demos" presented by Mr. Englebart back in 1968. I have to admit I haven't watched the whole thing yet (it's around 90 minutes!). But you will probably think you're seeing something like the predecessor of the Apple ][ or even the TRS-80 or even earlier machines. VERY, very basic, text-only display. Even though his mouse was used, it was still not doing anything like it does today... or even in 1984! Take a good look at the "keyboard" he is using. I think it served as a holder for TV dinners when not used with the computer!

<The Mother of All Demos, presented by Douglas Engelbart (1968)>

News:

Author Topic: RIP: Douglas Englebart (Read 1185 times)