Xerox Alto Computer

This is a demostration of the Xerox Alto computer in 1974.
The Alto, introduced in 1973, but never commercially produced, was perhaps the most innovative design in computer history: it had a mouse, a GUI, an object-oriented OS and development tools, and fast networking with the first ethernet cards. These are features that wouldn't be common until 10 years later, and even 20 years later some of them were still cutting edge.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• computer
• xerox
• GUI
• 1974
• revolutionary
• PC
• innovation
• Japanese

[lactomangulators]

is there anyone here who remembers using a computer like this in the early 1970s?

I read that a number of Xerox Altos were given to the computer science department at Stanford and the machines as well as the Ethernet network were used by staff in the White House during the Carter administration (1976-1980).

[Elevationary]

Can any one please tell me why have i heard the comment "apple invented the mouse" when in fact it was xerox?,i remember professors telling me that Apple invented the mouse???????,was the Xerox computer where it really all started??,and what kind of operating system did it have in 1973?

[Elevationary]

And lets have a look at the man who soposedly invented the light Bulb,i heard he commited alot of fraud with Patents,and the real man who actually invented the light bulb was actually a man called Tesla,Tesla was an Employee of Thomas Edison,thats why i dont trust American Patent Law!

[MrC0MPUT3R]

Then Steve Jobs stole the design

[invisibletenants]

Don't forget that the GUI and Lightpen also were around in the 60's :P what happened? Did we all hibernate in the 80's and 90's? Check out Engelbart's demo form 1968 - Video LAN, Virtual Computing, GUIs in the 60's - we should have PCs implanted in our heads by now lol

[sonichedgie]

Shit , Negrosoft stole Xerox .

[yamazakiT01]

I am Japanese. "Xerox Alto Computer" has translated the video. (Google translation)

[Music4PeaceToday]

If only there was an English translation...

[ZuLuuuuuu]

@Elevationary Well it wasn't Xerox either. It was a scientist called Douglas Engelbart who invented the mouse, though it remained experimental. Then Xerox researchers made a complete computer with mouse, but Xerox never saw the value in it. And then Steve Jobs saw the value in it, polished it for easier usage and made it available to humanity. I have respect for all three people/researchers for their effort and vision for the mouse.

[ZuLuuuuuu]

Is there an English subtitled version?

[GuyWithGuitars1]

Actually, Jobs admitted to copying this design. It's common knowledge. It took Jobs' brilliance to recognize it and bring it to a mass market. After all, Apple was looking for a new idea and they are a computer company. Xerox got a shitload of Apple stock for Apple borrowing the idea. Xerox had no interest or capacity to bring a personal computer to the consumer. That's why Xerox invited Steve Jobs to PARC and check out the Alto.

[synthetase00]

@Elevationary Actually, it was Douglas Engelbart at the Augmentation Lab in Stanford who invented the mouse. And Apple did not invent the mouse, but the they implemented in and made it popular. Much of the GUI interface of the Lisa and Macintosh computers were inspired by what they saw at Xerox Parc.

[Malkmusianful]

@Elevationary The Xerox Alto tends to be ignored.

If anything, Apple popularized the modern two-button mouse.