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Technology amazes me. It is constantly changing and improving. One example is Douglas C. Engelbart’s computer mouse. The physical and mechanical features of Engelbart’s mouse started out like most firsts in technology; bulky, boxy, and simple. As seen in Doug Engelbart’s 1968 Demo of the mouse, the movements of the mouse were quicker than the tracking spot on the computer screen. The tracking spot actually had a trail after it with each movement. This differs greatly from a modern computer mouse.
Obviously, a computer mouse from 1968 is much different than a computer mouse today. Technology has advanced through out that time period to the point where today a computer mouse is wireless and is definitely not bulky or boxy. The shape of a computer mouse today does resemble the shape of a mouse (the rodent), but Engelbart’s mouse did not resemble the rodent mouse. This explained why Engelbart said, “I don’t know why we call it a mouse. It started that way and we never changed it.” Someone throughout time did change the appearance of a mouse to resemble the rodent mouse, though. This is the process of technological advancement, whether it be a simple physical improvement or a major, complicated mechanical advancement.
