First Principles · From an article
Origins · the entities behind the piece
Xerox PARC, 1970. The invention that fit, and the ones that walked out.
Every person, place, institution and idea this article touches — the reading list it generates.
7 written · 35 catalogued
People
17 Bill English American engineer (1929–2020) who co-invented the mouse with Engelbart and built the first prototype in 1964. Bill Paxton American researcher at SRI's Augmentation Research Center, one of the two remote faces in the 1968 demo. Douglas Engelbart American engineer (1925–2013) and pioneer of human–computer interaction. Jeff Rulifson American computer scientist, lead software architect of NLS and author of RFC 5. Adele Goldbergstub American computer scientist (b. 1945), co-creator of Smalltalk. Alan Kaystub American computer scientist (b. 1940), architect of the personal computer as we know it. Bill Atkinsonstub American programmer (1951–2025) behind QuickDraw and HyperCard. Bill Gatesstub American entrepreneur (b. 1955), co-founder of Microsoft. Bob Metcalfestub American engineer (b. 1946), co-inventor of Ethernet. Bob Taylorstub American internet and computing pioneer (1932–2017). Butler Lampsonstub American computer scientist (b. 1943), co-designer of the Alto. Charles Simonyistub Hungarian-American programmer (b. 1948), PARC alumnus and father of Word and Excel. Chuck Thackerstub American computer designer (1943–2017), a lead designer of the Xerox Alto — the first personal computer with a graphical interface. Gary Starkweatherstub American engineer (1938–2019) who invented the laser printer at Xerox — the one PARC invention Xerox sold, and the one that paid for the lab. Jef Raskinstub American interface expert (1943–2005) who started the Macintosh project. Larry Teslerstub American computer scientist (1945–2020) who gave us cut, copy and paste. Steve Jobsstub American entrepreneur (1955–2011), co-founder of Apple.
Institutions
6 Applestub Founded 1976; the Apple II, Macintosh and iPhone. ARPA (now DARPA)stub The U.S. defense research agency that funded the ARPANET. Microsoftstub Founded 1975; DOS, Windows, Office and Azure. SRI (Stanford Research Institute)stub An independent research institute founded in 1946, originally affiliated with Stanford. Xerox Data Systems (XDS)stub Scientific Data Systems, bought by Xerox in 1969 and shut in 1975 — which is why PARC handed a personal computer to a company that had just quit computing. Xerox PARCstub Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center, founded in 1970.
Places
1Concepts
11 Macintosh The 1984 machine that carried the graphical interface onto an ordinary desk. SDS 940 The three-ton time-sharing mainframe that ran NLS from Menlo Park. Xerox Alto The first computer built around a graphical interface for one person — never sold commercially. Computer Mousestub The pointing device Engelbart and English built in 1964. Ethernetstub Metcalfe's local network, still under every office floor. GUIstub The graphical interface, from the Alto to everything after. Laser Printerstub PARC's invention that paid for everything else PARC did. NLS (oN-Line System)stub The integrated system Engelbart's team built and demonstrated in 1968 — combining the mouse, on-screen windows, hypertext links, and real-time collaborative editing into one working environment decades ahead of its time. Smalltalkstub The language and environment that defined OOP and the GUI. WYSIWYGstub The screen showing what the page will be. Xerox Starstub The 8010, 1981: the Alto’s commercial descendant. A graphical interface three years before the Macintosh, at roughly thirty times the price.