An older man with gray hair and a friendly smile is pictured indoors, wearing a blue collared shirt and a dark textured blazer. His warm expression and relaxed appearance give the portrait an approachable and amiable feel, suitable for depicting an experienced professional or distinguished figure in a social setting.
An older man with gray hair and a friendly smile is pictured indoors, wearing a blue collared shirt and a dark textured blazer. His warm expression and relaxed appearance give the portrait an approachable and amiable feel, suitable for depicting an experienced professional or distinguished figure in a social setting.

Douglas Engelbart

Historical

Historical

Jan 30, 1925

-

Jul 2, 2013

An older man with gray hair and a friendly smile is pictured indoors, wearing a blue collared shirt and a dark textured blazer. His warm expression and relaxed appearance give the portrait an approachable and amiable feel, suitable for depicting an experienced professional or distinguished figure in a social setting.

Douglas Engelbart

Historical

Historical

Jan 30, 1925

-

Jul 2, 2013

Biography

FAQ

Quotes

Biography

Engelbart was an American engineer and inventor, most famous for his work on human-computer interaction. Engelbart was born in Portland, Oregon, and although he was a child prodigy, he had a passion for technology, so he studied electrical engineering. During World War II, he was in the U.S. Navy as a radar technician in the Philippines, where he first heard of computers and read Vannevar Bush's article As We May Think. After the war, Engelbart graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor's degree in 1948 and received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1955.

Engelbart is most famous for his concept of increasing people's intellect with the help of computers. One of his most famous inventions was the computer mouse, which he developed as part of his research at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) during the 1960s when he was heading the Augmentation Research Center (ARC). Engelbart's team developed innovative ideas for technologies such as hypertext, bitmapped screens, and collaborative software. Some of these innovations were demonstrated to the world in 1968 in a demonstration called the Mother of All Demos.

Nevertheless, Engelbart's work remained obscure for most of his career, though notable milestones were made. During the 1970s and 1980s, his work was not well received anymore in the new personal computing paradigm that emerged away from his vision of large-scale cooperative systems. Later on, Engelbart was honored with one of the most prestigious awards in computer science, namely the ACM Turing Award, the National Medal of Technology, and membership in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Engelbart died in 2013, yet his vision of technology enhancing human capacities remains relevant to computing.

Quotes

"The more effective we become at improving effectiveness, the more quickly we will enhance effectiveness."

"It is essential to state that the digital revolution is far more important than the invention of writing or printing."

"A computer should be something that should help people construct, contribute, and enhance knowledge of their communities."

"Human-computer interaction is an area of development that is only starting to reveal its possibilities."

"I had this notion that the world would be in trouble and that it would need help from computers."

"If you could significantly enhance how we do that, then you are enhancing every endeavor on the planet to solve key challenges."

"I envisioned that computers could be used in an interactive way to assist people in thinking better."

"Thus, the question can be asked is: What if computers could enhance human intelligence and cooperation?"

"It can be said that any drastic advancement in human history has been fueled by technology."

"Thus, it is not about invention but solving humanity's most significant problems."

"There is no point in having faster computers; you need speedier understanding."

"The real gains are likely to be realised when people collectively apply their technology tools to the solution of problems."

"I wanted to know how technology can assist people to cope with the chaos of their tasks."

"If we set out to work towards achieving collective intelligence, we can do things we have never even dreamt of."

"The critical idea of true innovation is altering how people and teams collaborate."

FAQ

Douglas Engelbart is best known for the invention of the computer mouse.

Douglas Engelbart is most famous for developing the computer mouse and for his ideas and research in man-computer symbiosis.

What was considered the "Mother of All Demos"?

The term 'The Mother of All Demos' is associated with the demonstration done by Engelbart in 1968, where he introduced the computer mouse, hypertext, video conferencing, and collaborative computing.

What is hypertext?

Hypertext is a system of connected documents; it offers an opportunity to move through the information space non-linearly, a crucial idea of Engelbart's concept of interactive computing.

In Engelbart's vision of computers, what was the role of computers?

Engelbart saw computers not as number-crunching machines but as tools that can enhance the human brain and group's wisdom.

What made the invention of the mouse necessary?

The mouse became a tool that allowed users to control what was displayed on a computer screen, thus paving the way for GUIs.

What impact did Engelbart make on modern computing?

SRI patented the mouse and licensed it to companies such as Apple for a small fee, but Engelbart himself never got paid royalties for it.

Why didn't Engelbart get paid for the mouse?

SRI patented the mouse and licensed it to companies such as Apple for a small fee, but Engelbart himself never got paid royalties for it.

What is the Augmentation Research Center?

The Augmentation Research Center (ARC) was a laboratory at the SRI established by Engelbart. Engelbart and his team developed many of the core technologies in interaction computing in this laboratory.

What accolades did Douglas Engelbart have?

Engelbart accomplished many things in his lifetime, including receiving the ACM Turing Award, the National Medal of Technology, and the Lemelson-MIT Prize, among others, for his work in computing.

What is Engelbart's legacy?

Engelbart's contribution is in his dream of extending human intellect through technology and his inventions, such as the computer mouse used today.

Biography

FAQ

Quotes

Biography

Engelbart was an American engineer and inventor, most famous for his work on human-computer interaction. Engelbart was born in Portland, Oregon, and although he was a child prodigy, he had a passion for technology, so he studied electrical engineering. During World War II, he was in the U.S. Navy as a radar technician in the Philippines, where he first heard of computers and read Vannevar Bush's article As We May Think. After the war, Engelbart graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor's degree in 1948 and received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1955.

Engelbart is most famous for his concept of increasing people's intellect with the help of computers. One of his most famous inventions was the computer mouse, which he developed as part of his research at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) during the 1960s when he was heading the Augmentation Research Center (ARC). Engelbart's team developed innovative ideas for technologies such as hypertext, bitmapped screens, and collaborative software. Some of these innovations were demonstrated to the world in 1968 in a demonstration called the Mother of All Demos.

Nevertheless, Engelbart's work remained obscure for most of his career, though notable milestones were made. During the 1970s and 1980s, his work was not well received anymore in the new personal computing paradigm that emerged away from his vision of large-scale cooperative systems. Later on, Engelbart was honored with one of the most prestigious awards in computer science, namely the ACM Turing Award, the National Medal of Technology, and membership in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Engelbart died in 2013, yet his vision of technology enhancing human capacities remains relevant to computing.

Quotes

"The more effective we become at improving effectiveness, the more quickly we will enhance effectiveness."

"It is essential to state that the digital revolution is far more important than the invention of writing or printing."

"A computer should be something that should help people construct, contribute, and enhance knowledge of their communities."

"Human-computer interaction is an area of development that is only starting to reveal its possibilities."

"I had this notion that the world would be in trouble and that it would need help from computers."

"If you could significantly enhance how we do that, then you are enhancing every endeavor on the planet to solve key challenges."

"I envisioned that computers could be used in an interactive way to assist people in thinking better."

"Thus, the question can be asked is: What if computers could enhance human intelligence and cooperation?"

"It can be said that any drastic advancement in human history has been fueled by technology."

"Thus, it is not about invention but solving humanity's most significant problems."

"There is no point in having faster computers; you need speedier understanding."

"The real gains are likely to be realised when people collectively apply their technology tools to the solution of problems."

"I wanted to know how technology can assist people to cope with the chaos of their tasks."

"If we set out to work towards achieving collective intelligence, we can do things we have never even dreamt of."

"The critical idea of true innovation is altering how people and teams collaborate."

FAQ

Douglas Engelbart is best known for the invention of the computer mouse.

Douglas Engelbart is most famous for developing the computer mouse and for his ideas and research in man-computer symbiosis.

What was considered the "Mother of All Demos"?

The term 'The Mother of All Demos' is associated with the demonstration done by Engelbart in 1968, where he introduced the computer mouse, hypertext, video conferencing, and collaborative computing.

What is hypertext?

Hypertext is a system of connected documents; it offers an opportunity to move through the information space non-linearly, a crucial idea of Engelbart's concept of interactive computing.

In Engelbart's vision of computers, what was the role of computers?

Engelbart saw computers not as number-crunching machines but as tools that can enhance the human brain and group's wisdom.

What made the invention of the mouse necessary?

The mouse became a tool that allowed users to control what was displayed on a computer screen, thus paving the way for GUIs.

What impact did Engelbart make on modern computing?

SRI patented the mouse and licensed it to companies such as Apple for a small fee, but Engelbart himself never got paid royalties for it.

Why didn't Engelbart get paid for the mouse?

SRI patented the mouse and licensed it to companies such as Apple for a small fee, but Engelbart himself never got paid royalties for it.

What is the Augmentation Research Center?

The Augmentation Research Center (ARC) was a laboratory at the SRI established by Engelbart. Engelbart and his team developed many of the core technologies in interaction computing in this laboratory.

What accolades did Douglas Engelbart have?

Engelbart accomplished many things in his lifetime, including receiving the ACM Turing Award, the National Medal of Technology, and the Lemelson-MIT Prize, among others, for his work in computing.

What is Engelbart's legacy?

Engelbart's contribution is in his dream of extending human intellect through technology and his inventions, such as the computer mouse used today.

Biography

FAQ

Quotes

Biography

Engelbart was an American engineer and inventor, most famous for his work on human-computer interaction. Engelbart was born in Portland, Oregon, and although he was a child prodigy, he had a passion for technology, so he studied electrical engineering. During World War II, he was in the U.S. Navy as a radar technician in the Philippines, where he first heard of computers and read Vannevar Bush's article As We May Think. After the war, Engelbart graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor's degree in 1948 and received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1955.

Engelbart is most famous for his concept of increasing people's intellect with the help of computers. One of his most famous inventions was the computer mouse, which he developed as part of his research at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) during the 1960s when he was heading the Augmentation Research Center (ARC). Engelbart's team developed innovative ideas for technologies such as hypertext, bitmapped screens, and collaborative software. Some of these innovations were demonstrated to the world in 1968 in a demonstration called the Mother of All Demos.

Nevertheless, Engelbart's work remained obscure for most of his career, though notable milestones were made. During the 1970s and 1980s, his work was not well received anymore in the new personal computing paradigm that emerged away from his vision of large-scale cooperative systems. Later on, Engelbart was honored with one of the most prestigious awards in computer science, namely the ACM Turing Award, the National Medal of Technology, and membership in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Engelbart died in 2013, yet his vision of technology enhancing human capacities remains relevant to computing.

Quotes

"The more effective we become at improving effectiveness, the more quickly we will enhance effectiveness."

"It is essential to state that the digital revolution is far more important than the invention of writing or printing."

"A computer should be something that should help people construct, contribute, and enhance knowledge of their communities."

"Human-computer interaction is an area of development that is only starting to reveal its possibilities."

"I had this notion that the world would be in trouble and that it would need help from computers."

"If you could significantly enhance how we do that, then you are enhancing every endeavor on the planet to solve key challenges."

"I envisioned that computers could be used in an interactive way to assist people in thinking better."

"Thus, the question can be asked is: What if computers could enhance human intelligence and cooperation?"

"It can be said that any drastic advancement in human history has been fueled by technology."

"Thus, it is not about invention but solving humanity's most significant problems."

"There is no point in having faster computers; you need speedier understanding."

"The real gains are likely to be realised when people collectively apply their technology tools to the solution of problems."

"I wanted to know how technology can assist people to cope with the chaos of their tasks."

"If we set out to work towards achieving collective intelligence, we can do things we have never even dreamt of."

"The critical idea of true innovation is altering how people and teams collaborate."

FAQ

Douglas Engelbart is best known for the invention of the computer mouse.

Douglas Engelbart is most famous for developing the computer mouse and for his ideas and research in man-computer symbiosis.

What was considered the "Mother of All Demos"?

The term 'The Mother of All Demos' is associated with the demonstration done by Engelbart in 1968, where he introduced the computer mouse, hypertext, video conferencing, and collaborative computing.

What is hypertext?

Hypertext is a system of connected documents; it offers an opportunity to move through the information space non-linearly, a crucial idea of Engelbart's concept of interactive computing.

In Engelbart's vision of computers, what was the role of computers?

Engelbart saw computers not as number-crunching machines but as tools that can enhance the human brain and group's wisdom.

What made the invention of the mouse necessary?

The mouse became a tool that allowed users to control what was displayed on a computer screen, thus paving the way for GUIs.

What impact did Engelbart make on modern computing?

SRI patented the mouse and licensed it to companies such as Apple for a small fee, but Engelbart himself never got paid royalties for it.

Why didn't Engelbart get paid for the mouse?

SRI patented the mouse and licensed it to companies such as Apple for a small fee, but Engelbart himself never got paid royalties for it.

What is the Augmentation Research Center?

The Augmentation Research Center (ARC) was a laboratory at the SRI established by Engelbart. Engelbart and his team developed many of the core technologies in interaction computing in this laboratory.

What accolades did Douglas Engelbart have?

Engelbart accomplished many things in his lifetime, including receiving the ACM Turing Award, the National Medal of Technology, and the Lemelson-MIT Prize, among others, for his work in computing.

What is Engelbart's legacy?

Engelbart's contribution is in his dream of extending human intellect through technology and his inventions, such as the computer mouse used today.

Life and achievements

Early life

Douglas Engelbart was born in Portland, Oregon, on January 25, 1925. He was a child during the Great Depression, which significantly impacted his beliefs about social justice and the need to change the world. Engelbart attended Franklin High School and later joined the Oregon State University, where he took an engineering course in electrical engineering. His academic year was cut short by the Second World War, in which he joined the U.S. Navy, serving as a radar technician in the Philippines. This gave him an insight into the strength of technology, and he first came across the concept of computing through the article As We May Think by Vannevar Bush. Thus, Bush's vision of the global interconnection with access to information inspired Engelbart and his further projects.

After returning from the war, Engelbart continued his studies and graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1948. He then joined the NASA Ames Research Center and later proceeded to the University of California Berkeley, where he obtained his master's and Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Engelbart was initially involved in research on digital computing and high-frequency electronics; however, his area of interest was understanding how computing could enhance human thought processes and decision-making.

This desire to use technology for societal improvement led Engelbart to join the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in 1957 to found the Augmentation Research Center. His ideas about increasing group wisdom with interactive computing developed there, and many concepts that define today's computing originated from that place.

Legacy

Douglas Engelbart's contribution is enormous due to his invention of the computer mouse and his idea of how technology can enhance human performance. His 1968 presentation, "The Mother of All Demos," was a significant step in advancing computing. He introduced video teleconferencing, text editing, and sharing tools. Engelbart's ideas were way before his time because he did not only envision technology but how technology could help humanity address its most challenging problems through collective problem-solving and increased intelligence.

Engelbart's work, however, remained obscure for many years but has now been credited as pioneering in human-computer interaction, hypertext, and computer-supported cooperative work. His ideas of networked computing that allowed people to interact in real-time regardless of their geographical location were prophetic in creating the internet and the www. The notion of 'bootstrapping' that he introduced — the use of tools and processes to enhance the creation of further tools and processes — has applications in areas as diverse as software engineering and business administration.

Today, Engelbart's work is carried on by the Doug Engelbart Institute, which is dedicated to the development of "Collective IQ," which implies an increase in the overall intelligence and effectiveness of people working on particular problems to achieve growth in the rate of the solution of global issues. His work is not limited to technology but encompasses education, management, and social systems. He has been rightfully called a visionary whose ideas still define the world of tomorrow.

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Your donation today shapes the future of how families and friends connect.
You will become a featured Ambassador.
Learn more ->

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Your donation today shapes the future of how families and friends connect.
You will become a featured Ambassador.
Learn more ->

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Milestone moments

Mar 11, 1962

Publication of "Augmenting Human Intellect: The paper aims to present "A Conceptual Framework."
In 1962, Engelbart published a seminal report titled Augmenting Human Intellect: A Conceptual Framework. He described his ideas about how computers could augment human intelligence in this document.
Engelbart claimed that technology could enhance the problem-solving capability of individuals and groups by improving their handling of information.
This report enabled Engelbart to secure funding from ARPA, now known as DARPA, and set up the Augmentation Research Center at SRI.
In the paper, he outlined some ideas that would define his future work, such as interactive computing and hypertext and the concept of augmenting human intellect.
Augmenting human intelligence became the theoretical pillar for human-computer interaction.

Dec 9, 1968

The Mother of All Demos
Engelbart demonstrated the concept on December 9, 1968, at the Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco, now dubbed the Mother of All Demos.
In this 90-minute demonstration, Engelbart presented the world with the computer mouse, hypertext, real-time text editing, video conference, and collaborative computing.
The groundbreaking demo demonstrated that computers were not just for calculations but communication, coordination, and information sharing.
Most of the technologies that Engelbart showed years back in the 1960s were futuristic and are today's essential technologies in computing.

Aug 12, 1970

A Brief History of the Invention of the Computer Mouse
It was in 1970 that Engelbart applied for a U.S. Patent and got the patent number 3,541,541 for the computer mouse.
His design, which was created with the assistance of his team at SRI, involved a wooden casing with two metal rollers.
This 'X-Y position indicator' enabled users to place a cursor on the screen, thus changing the way people interact with computers.
While Engelbart never got a dime from the mouse's sales, it became one of the most widely used pointing devices in computing that significantly impacted the creation of GUI, which is still in use today.
It could be said that the invention of the mouse is one of Engelbart's most significant achievements in the sphere of technology.

May 23, 1988

Bootstrap Institute was established.
In 1988, Engelbart and his daughter Christina established the Bootstrap Institute, later renamed the Doug Engelbart Institute.
It was founded as a non-profit organization to further Engelbart's idea of collective intelligence and to carry on the development of enhanced man-computer interfaces.
With the help of the Bootstrap Institute, Engelbart gave seminars and workshops to develop augmenting human intellect further.
The institute also provided the means for researchers, technologists, and organizations to connect, which would also allow for the idea of Engelbart of technology as problem-solving for the many to continue to permeate the next generations.

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