Evolution of the Computer Mouse

Most of us use this every day but give it very little thought.  It is that handheld device connected to our computers we call the mouse.  We will therefore discuss the evolution of the computer mouse here.

The first computer mouse was developed about 45 years ago in a computer lab at Stanford by Douglas Engelbart and Bill English.  It was nickname the Bug at the time.

If we fast forward to 1981, that is the year that the Xerox 8010 Information system was introduced.  It was one of the first commercial computing systems to hit the market and it featured a mouse.  The popularity of this computer was severely limited due to its exorbitant price or $16,595.

Then in 1983, Apple introduced the Lisa which included a mouse as well.  It was the start of true point and click computing but prices were still quite high.  However the introduction of the MacIntosh the following year began to change that and make home computers much more feasible and popular.

During that time the Apple mouse was a squarish contraption.  They used this configuration for quite some time until 1998 when they introduced the Apple USB mouse.  It resembled a hockey puck and was not the most ergonomic design in terms of hand comfort.  But it certainly had eye appeal.

Microsoft developed its own version of the mouse for use in IBM PC machines beginning in 1983.  It featured two buttons and retailed for $195 each.

Moving into the late 1980’s, Logitech began to emerge as a very innovative and cost effective producer of a computer mouse.  They released an innovative and popular series of products in 1990 which was followed up with the introduction of a wireless mouse the following year.

The cordless Mouseman (as it was called) used RF technology which didn’t require line of sight alignment.

In 1995, a company called Mouse Systems developed a mouse with a built in scroll wheel.  The Fremont based company was very innovative but lacked in their marketing.  Other companies soon followed suit and quickly this type of mouse became a standard.

Microsoft introduced their own version of the scroll wheel mouse in 1996.  It was called the Intellimouse.  The technology and important features of the computer mouse really developed in 1999 when the optical mouse was introduced.

Rather than use a ball, it relied on optical technology to determine the movement of the mouse.  This type of design eliminated the need for a mouse pad and made the use of the mouse practical for virtually any surface.

There have been continued refinements and improvements since then but this type of design is largely the standard for the modern computer mouse.