Douglas Engelbart Demonstrates Interactive Computing
Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an interactive computing system in San Francisco on December 9, 1968.
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The Event
Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an interactive computing system in San Francisco on December 9, 1968. The presentation later became known as the Mother of All Demos.
The Wider Story
It showed a mouse, linked information and collaborative techniques to an audience accustomed to very different computer use. Supporting colleagues and systems made the demonstration possible.
Putting the Event in Perspective
The presentation did not instantly put a modern personal computer in every home.
Reading the Historical Record
Its historical importance lies in demonstrated possibilities and their later development.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: a 1968 demonstration stage with a keyboard, early mouse and indistinct projection screen. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
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