by Mark Ollig
It
saddens me whenever I hear of the passing of an early computing pioneer.
Originally,
I had planned to write about Douglas Engelbart for this year’s Dec. 9 column,
as this date marks the 45th anniversary of his famous “Mother of All Demos”
computing presentation.
Engelbart’s
dream of creating a computerized, interactive workstation originated while
serving in the Navy as a radar operator, in the Philippines, shortly after
World War II.
He
wondered why a computer could not be connected to a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
monitor screen, and be used for information interaction by a person in a
workplace situation. He believed computer work stations could be networked with
each other, allowing information to be shared among people.
Engelbart
then began working at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) as a researcher,
starting in 1957.
From
1959 to 1960, he was able to work on his dream computing project, with
financial assistance from the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
In
one quarterly progress report, dated Oct. 30, 1959, Engelbart wrote, “The
objective of this project is to provide organization and stimulation in the
search for new and better ways to obtain digital manipulation of information.”
Starting
in 1962, with funding from DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency),
Engelbart was able to complete his work on a visionary computer system called
the NLS (oN-Line System).
Engelbart
would present the results of his work in 1968, during The Fall Joint Computer
Conference Dec. 9 – 11 in San Francisco, CA.
At
that time, Engelbart gave a mesmerizing look into the future of human-computer
networking.
Engelbart,
using his NLS computer-based, interactive multiconsole display system, gave a
demonstration titled, “A Research Center for Augmenting Human Intellect.”
This
demonstration was given before the Fall Joint Conference attendees at Brooks
Hall in San Francisco.
These
attendees also witnessed a historical surprise.
“If,
in your office, you as an intellectual worker were supplied with a computer display
backed up by a computer that was alive for you all day and was instantly
responsive, how much value could you derive from that?” Engelbart asked at the
start of his presentation.
Engelbart’s
onstage terminal console was connected to a huge 22-foot video projector.
The
approximately 1,000 computing specialists in attendance could watch him on a
large screen above the stage as he typed on his keyboard, while seeing what was
being displayed on his CRT monitor screen.
His
terminal console was also remotely linked via telephone lines to a computer
located about 30 miles away, inside the Stanford Research Institute in Menlo
Park, CA.
The
big surprise was the pointing device he used to move the cursor dot on the CRT
monitor screen during the presentation. Engelbart called it a “mouse.”
Engelbart
invented the point-and-click device we use today which we still call mouse.
It
was five years earlier, when Engelbart first worked on the first mouse
prototype.
Why
was it called a “mouse?” He said someone suggested this name in 1963, because
the cord connected to it looked like a tail, and the wooden, hand-held device
was small, so they affectionately called it a mouse.
Unfortunately
for Engelbart, the patent for his creation was owned by the company where he
developed it: Stanford Research Institute.
He
never received any monetary royalties for this invention, but the world
acknowledges and credits him with its creation.
Engelbart
has accepted many prestigious awards over his lifetime for his work in computer
technology, and of course, for inventing the mouse.
In
one interview, he thought they would eventually come up with a more official
sounding description for the mouse, but said the name stuck.
Engelbart’s
first curser pointing device, or mouse, is here: http://tinyurl.com/mouse1968.
While
watching a video of the 1968 90-minute presentation, one of the many things
which impressed me was the professionalism Engelbart exuded during the entire
demonstration.
Engelbart
fascinated those in attendance as he expertly revealed the way hypertext links
between files worked, and how to use statement coding to manage and organize
files, and sub-files.
While
typing on the built-in keyboard inside the computer console, and using his
mouse to move the cursor dot around on the monitor screen, he would code
programs on-the-fly.
He
also showed how one could manipulate and organize the information contained inside
the text files.
Using
“computer screen windowing,” Engelbart presented how one could simultaneously
view separate information categories by displaying them inside overlaid
“windows” using a single display monitor.
He
also demonstrated 2-way “video-inset” conferencing over his computer’s monitor
screen with fellow researchers, using their computer monitor screens back in
Menlo Park. It was eerily similar to today’s video conferencing programs, such
as Skype.
Remember,
folks – this was being demonstrated in 1968.
His
presentation was greeted, at times, with wonderment, and much applause at its
conclusion.
However,
his NLS computer system never become popular.
It
was said the statement coding needed for the creation and management of program
files was just too complicated for the average person to grasp.
Engelbart
replied using this analogy, “The tricycle may be easier to learn and use, but
it is hard work to travel even a short distance. Riding a bicycle calls for
considerably more skill . . . but the effort-to-performance ratio is
dramatically higher.”
He
understood it can be difficult to learn new skills in order to become more
productive.
Many
of the researchers from SRI went on to work at the Xerox PARC (Palo Alto
Research Center).
In
1973, they built the Xerox Alto computer. The Alto used Xerox’s user-friendly
GUI (Graphical User Interface), which took advantage of Engelbart’s mouse
device for navigating through software programs.
Engelbart
believed the use of computers would make the world a better place – and he was
right.
In
his later years, Engelbart spoke before students at universities and gave
keynote speeches, seminars, and was interviewed countless times.
The
National Medal of Technology, the nation’s highest award for technology innovation,
was presented to him in 2000 by President Bill Clinton.
Douglas
C. Engelbart passed away July 2, at the age of 88.
The
December 9, 1968 presentation video is located in the Internet archive at
http://tinyurl.com/1968demo.
The
Douglas Engelbart Institute is found at http://www.dougengelbart.org.
