December saw the 40th birthday of the computer mouse. The first prototype was shown at the Stanford Research Institute in 1963 (the year I was born) but wasn't officially unveiled until December 1968. I am old enough to remember PCs without a mouse although the first computer I owned (an Apple Mac Classic) did have a mouse and they weren't cheap. When my mouse broke in 1991 the replacement Apple product cost in excess of £40.00!
When you consider that the mouse is now 40 years old it hasn't changed much, a testament to the originator Douglas Englebart.
Some people have indicated that recent advances in touch screen technology will mark the end of the mouse but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they are still in use 40 years from now.
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
