The Mouse at 50
The mouse is 50 years old and revolutionised the way we use computers, but how will we interface in the future?
Fifty years ago Doug Engelbart, engineer and inventor from the Augmentation Research Center Lab, gave what has become known as the “mother of all demos” – a demonstration of many computing concepts - such as the mouse, text links, and videoconferencing, that today we take for granted. Yet despite this landmark showcase it took another twenty years for the mouse to come into our homes and offices. Click looks back the development of the mouse and how interfaces may change in the future.
Producer: Ania Lichtarowicz
Image: Prototype of the first mouse computer presented in 1968 (invented in 1963 by Douglas C. Engelbart)
Credit: Apic/Getty Images
Last on
Broadcasts
- Christmas Day 201820:32GMTBBC World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview, News Internet & Europe and the Middle East only
- Christmas Day 201821:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia & East Asia only
- Boxing Day 201805:32GMTBBC World Service Online, UK DAB/Freeview, News Internet & Europe and the Middle East only
- Boxing Day 201806:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & South Asia only
- Boxing Day 201807:32GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & East Asia only
- Boxing Day 201811:32GMTBBC World Service West and Central Africa
- Boxing Day 201814:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia
- Boxing Day 201818:32GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia & West and Central Africa only
- Sat 29 Dec 201816:32GMTBBC World Service News Internet
- Sat 29 Dec 201823:32GMTBBC World Service except Americas and the Caribbean
Podcast
![]()
Digital Planet
Technological and digital news from around the world.
