I take a great interest in the history of people and computers and I continue to be surprised when I come across people don't know about "The 1968 Demo". I was only three at the time and was more interested in chewing cardboard than learning about how computers could be used to amplify human potential.
I understand that there are still some people who still haven't heard of The Demo, so rather than listen to me talk about it, why not watch it yourself.
"I don't know why we call it a mouse. It started that way and we never changed it."
This is a quote from the segment about Control Devices and it's interesting to note that Doug used a Chord Keypad as well as a mouse and keyboard.
On December 9th, 1998 Stanford University Libraries and the Institute for the Future presented a day-long, public symposium that brought together Engelbart and members of his historic team, along with other computer visionaries, to consider the impact of Engelbart's work on the last three decades of the computer revolution, to explore the challenges facing us today, and to speculate about the next three decades.
If you want to know more about your own history then why not watch Session III from The Symposiom, which includes contributions from Doug Engelbart and Ted Nelson.
The other sessions from the symposium are also available.
Comments