The computer mouse turns 40 – and is facing death
The humble computer mouse is now 40 years old. It was first invented and used in 1968, although it didn’t enter mainstream use until the launch of the Apple Macintosh in 1984. But while the mouse should be celebrated for enabling ordinary people to use computers in a much more organic and naturalistic way, could it soon be superseded by technology continuing that trend on to the next level?
Doug Engelbart and his team at the Stanford Research Institute in California invented the computer mouse in 1968 after realizing there was a need for a simpler way of controlling computers than the standard light pen which had been used since the Second World War.
He tells the London Guardian how he and his team conceived of many devices that could replace the light pen, including a tracking ball, a light panel, and a joystick. The mouse, so nicknamed by one unnamed researcher due to its resemblance to the animal, came out on top in every test they conducted.
Xerox then developed a commercial version of the mouse during the 1970s before releasing it for use with the Xerox Star computer system in 1981. When that system failed to take off, Apple bought the patent for just $40,000. It was used on the Apple Macintosh and its success, and place in history along with it, was assured.
Engelbart never made a penny from his invention due to the original patent having expired just before mainstream success hit. Which is a crying shame seeing as how PCs became incredibly popular very quickly, and all were sold with a mouse and keyboard combination that is still in use by the vast majority of computer users to this day.
But on the eve of its 40th birthday, which is being celebrated next week when Engelbart returns to Stanford, the mouse could be facing death at the hands of new technology, which takes its basic ideas and adds to it. As I discussed a few months ago, the control methods of both the Wii and iPhone show the future, a future in which the mouse will be seen as historic rather than current.
Most people who use laptops already choose to use the built-in touchpad rather than a mouse. And touchscreens are moving out of the realms of science fiction and in to the realms of possibility. It’s therefore highly likely that the mouse will not exist in another 40 years time, having been replaced with a much more natural and user-friendly way of controlling the technology we use every day.
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December 2nd, 2008
The mouse still has many years left. The technology may be there but how it is being used is not practical for most scenarios right now. Further innovation in this area is required before the mouse dying. Who wants to hold something up? The mouse is laid flat on a surface. Even for touch screens, you need to keep your hand up in the air. For long usage, this will make the arm tired. Till date, I do not see a mouse replacement.
Until computer manufactuerers themselves design computers differently the mouse is not going to disappear.
December 2nd, 2008
Quote from the article above:
“Most people who use laptops already choose to use the built-in touchpad rather than a mouse.”
Since when?
Certainly not in my experience. In fact, I see just the opposite – everyone I can think of who owns or uses a notebook with a built-in touchpad uses a mouse in preference.
Even those who have tried to go mouseless eventually gave in out of frustration when they realised that there are some tasks that are intuitively easy to do one-handed with a mouse, but much more difficult to do with a touchpad. One that readily springs to mind is drag-and-drop
December 2nd, 2008
I use a touchpad on laptops and mouse on desktop. People who complain about touchpads usually don’t have them configured properly.
Turn off tapping and scrolling takes care of most of the issues. I’ve watched people looking like birds with a busted wing when they attempted to get mousing room when traveling.
I’ve spent a far amount of time over the year needing to use different laptops. The little eraser joysticks, the old clip on thumbelina’s.
It’s not intuitive, it’s learned and familiar. Having a touchpad centered where you can use use both hands is pretty handy once you get used to it.
I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous.