History Of The Mouse, Aka The Mouse That Is Not As Simple As Its Shape

Mouse by Xerox (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - For an innovation that makes it easier for people to use computers, the name of the device sounds difficult: "XY position indicator for display systems." The name that is not comfortable to hear is then changed to "mouse" or in Indonesian "mouse".

The name refers to its mouse-like shape: the wires running down the computer are likened to its tail. So it's much simpler and easier to remember, right?

As quoted by TIME, the simplification of the name was first mentioned on its debut as a part device of a personal computer (PC) which was first sold by Xerox Corporation today, April 27, 39 years ago or in 1981.

We should thank Douglas Engelbart who invented the mouse in 1963. Sadly, by the time the mouse was commercially available, however, Engelbart's patent had expired. He never gets royalties from his creations.

The invention of the mouse along with its operating system suite, the Xerox 8010 Star, arguably succeeded in revolutionizing the way devices compute. According to WIRED, this device is the first to be made with a graphical interface.

Operation made easy. Instead of having to type a command code, just click the icon on the monitor where the navigation is free to move using the mouse. In addition, the operating system was also the first to combine folders, server files and e-mail.

However, like Engelbart. Xerox failed to profit from its innovation. There are two reasons for this. According to the New Yorker website analysis, the first is that its executives are unaware of the scope of the discovery. Second, they let Steve Jobs see it.

In exchange for shares with Apple, Xerox gave Jobs access to his innovation space, Xerox PARC which was working on the operational system Star. After that Jobs reportedly returned to Apple headquarters and made improvements to their project.

It was then that Jobs knew how to make a better mouse. To his engineer, Jobs said, "(The Xerox Mouse) is a mouse designed for three hundred dollars and breaks in two weeks. Here's what needs to be done: our mouse should be able to produce for less than fifteen dollars. , and I want that tool to be used in Forminica and my blue jeans, "he said.

The Xerox company, better known as copier makers, ended up removing PCs, mice, and everything from their portfolio. And in the following years, the company's profits continued to decline, while Apple continued to increase.