This day in history - December 9

[seamusTX]

1968 - A team of computer researchers publicly demonstrated the computer mouse and other innovations for the first time, at a convention of scientists and engineers in San Francisco. Doug Engelbart was the genius behind some of those developments.

http://sloan.stanford.edu/MouseSite/1968Demo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For those who were computer users decades ago, the progress represented by these innovations seemed miraculous.

In 1968, you punched out computer programs on cards, using the functional equivalent of a typewriter. Then you turned the cards in at a window, and got a printout hours or days later. Most of the time, the printout indicated that your program contained an error.

You never actually touched a computer. That was reserved to the 'high priests" of computer science.

The idea of an individual owning a computer was preposterous. They cost from $20,000 to several million, at a time when $10,000 a year was a very handsome salary.

- Jim

[atxgun]

I give belated Thanksgiving thanks to my IDE.

[Bunkins]

Not to mention they often took up a large sized room Think about that the next time ya open up a laptop

[seamusTX]

Yeah, going from tons to pounds, and amplifying their capabilities through networking, which was also imaginary in the 1960s.

- Jim

[jimlongley]

I installed some of the first nodes on NYSERNET, which then became part of DARPANET. I remember when.