The History of the Computer Mouse

The History of the Computer Mouse It was technology visionary and inventor Douglas Engelbart (January 30, 1925  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ July 2, 2013) who revolutionized the way computers worked, turning it from a piece of specialized machinery that only a trained scientist could use to a user-friendly tool that almost anyone can work with. During his lifetime, he invented or contributed to several interactive and user-friendly devices such as the computer mouse, Windows operating system, computer video  teleconferencing, hypermedia,  groupware,  email, the  Internet  and much more. Making Computing Less Cumbersome Most of all, though, he was known for inventing the computer mouse. Engelbart conceived of the rudimentary mouse while attending a conference on computer graphics, where he started thinking about how to improve interactive computing. In the early days of computing, users typed codes and commands to make things happen on monitors. Engelbart thought an easier way was to link the computer’s cursor to a device with two wheels- one horizontal and one vertical. Moving the device on a horizontal surface would allow the user to position the cursor on the screen. Engelbart’s collaborator on the mouse project  Bill English built a prototype- a hand-held device carved out of wood, with a button on the top. In 1967, Engelbart’s company SRI filed for the  patent on the mouse, although the paperwork identified it a little differently as x,y position indicator for a display system. The patent was awarded in 1970. Computer Mice Hits the Market Before long, computers designed to work with a mouse were released. Among the first was the Xerox Alto, which went on sale in 1973. A team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich liked the concept as well and built their own computer system with a mouse called the  Lilith computer, sold from 1978 to 1980. Perhaps thinking they were on to something, Xerox soon followed up with  the  Xerox 8010, which featured a mouse, ethernet networking and e-mail among various innovative technologies that have since become standard.   Ã‚   But it wasnt until  1983  that the mouse started to go mainstream. It was that year that Microsoft updated the MS-DOS program Microsoft Word to make it mouse-compatible and developed the first PC-compatible mouse.  Computer manufacturers such as Apple, Atari and Commodore would all follow suit by debuting mouse compatible systems as well.    Tracking Ball and Other Advancements Like other present forms of computer technology, the mouse has evolved significantly. In 1972, English developed the â€Å"track ball mouse† that allowed users to control the cursor by rotating a ball from a fixed position. One interesting enhancement is technology that enables wireless devices, a fact that makes Engelbarts recollection of an early prototype almost quaint. We turned it around so the tail came out the top. We started with it going the other direction, but the cord got tangled when you moved your arm, he said.   For an inventor who grew up on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon and had hoped his achievements would add to the collective intelligence of the world, the mouse has come a long way. It would be wonderful,† he said, â€Å"if I can inspire others, who are struggling to realize their dreams, to say if this country kid could do it, let me keep slogging away.

Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Daily Commute That You Hate

Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Daily Commute That You Hate Commuting can be terrible- an annoying, uncomfortable waste of time. But it is also an opportunity to multitask in your busy life. Whether you’re driving or taking public transport (or even walking or biking), here are 10 ways you can turn a negative into a positive. 1. Listen to PodcastsTake a little downtime and catch up on all the reading you aren’t doing. Try a podcast or even an audiobook (on headphones or your car stereo). Your commute time will fly by and you’ll learn stuff! Plus you’ll get all the pleasure of reading without having to have your hands free.2. Discover New MusicBored of your same old Spotify playlists? Tired of your music and not sure where to turn for your new favorite tunes? Use your commute to try new artists. If you have wi-fi access while commuting, try a streaming station. If not, make a list of bands you hear about on the radio or at work and look for them on Spotify and download a playlist to your phone. If you like it, keep it! If not, delete!3. Practice Self CareYour commute might be the only time you have â€Å"to yourself† in the week. Make yourself a priority and do something for your mental well being. Try doing gratitude journaling exercises, or just thinking about things that are going really well in your life. Try a simple meditation technique. Or deep breathing. Try giving yourself time to read something for pleasure and tune the rest of the world out- provided you don’t miss your stop. Or use the time to connect via phone or email (provided you aren’t driving) to a friend or family member you don’t get to see enough. If all else fails, just try to decompress a bit and cut your stress.4. Leave Earlier So You Can Slow DownGive yourself a little extra time so you’re not always racing to be on time. If you know you can take your time, you can linger a bit and smell the roses, so to speak- or the coffee! Take a moment to sit and sip a latte. Or enjoy not being pa nicked when you run into traffic. Slowing down a little can really be a grounding way to start your day.5. Check in With Your Work ProgressMaybe evaluating your progress weekly is too daunting a task. But if you’re stuck on a train or in traffic, you can always do a little self-review and see how you did meeting your goals that day. And strategize how you can improve tomorrow. Make sure you’re actually working through your top priorities, and not just spending your day on less important stuff.6.  Mix Up Your Route Once in a WhileIf your commute is too long or annoying, try to find a better workaround! Thinking outside your rut can actually give your brain a boost, and you might just find a way to make your life that much more pleasant! Keep in mind a longer route that’s less annoying or has fewer stops could make all the difference.7. Brainstorm Solutions to Your ProblemsUse the time to brainstorm or troubleshoot problems at home or at work. Take advantage of being alone with your own thoughts and start strategizing. You never know, the next big answer might come while you’re just spacing out and giving your brain a break.8. Sit in SilenceMaybe your life moves too fast and you’re already optimizing every waking moment to get the most out of your time. Maybe you read and listen and engage too much. Maybe you try to cram too much in. Try turning off your phone, your music, putting away that book or magazine and just sit there not doing anything at all. Concentrate only on getting where you need to go safely. You and your fellow commuters will all benefit.9. MeditateBe present in the moment. You don’t need special props or techniques. Just be where you are, take a few breaths, and maybe shut your eyes. Give your brain the recharge it deserves.10.  Ask If You Can Skip ItAll that said, if you have the opportunity to work remotely, or could convince your boss, then you wouldn’t have to commute every day. Make the argument about how much more productive you could be in that time. It’s always worth a shot! If that’s not an option, consider moving closer, or carpooling. Anything to condense or cut out this part of your daily grind.

M3A1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M3A1 - Essay Example This implies that the firm’s current assets exceed its current liabilities. The current ratio and quick acid ratio of the company after the 2nd quarter of 2000 were 5.92 and 3.29. Both ratios are outstanding due to the fact that they exceed the 1.0 threshold (Garrison & Noreen, 2003). Honest Tea is in a good position to pay off its short term debt. During 1999 the firm was able to turn its inventory 2.50 times during the year. The debt ratio and debt to equity ratio of the company demonstrate that the firm has not incurred in long term financing options. Case study analysis questions: 1) Does the Tea market appear to be attractive as of the year 2000? Explain by referencing relevant metrics and information. The Tea market appears to be attractive for the year 2000. Tea is one of the fastest growing drinks in the United States due to its unique attributes. The competition in the tea market is not as severe as the competition in other segments of the drink industry such as in th e carbonated soda sector in which Coca Cola and Pepsi dominate. As of 1999 there were 2,595,500 gallons of tea consumed by the American public or 9.5 gallons per capita. 2) How is Honest Tea doing financially and otherwise? Discuss by referencing relevant metrics and other information. ... Despite the negative income of the company during its first few years of operations the company has done a good job of maintaining liquidity for the firm. The current ratio and quick ratio of the company demonstrate that the company has the ability to pay off its short term debt. The company has done a good job so far of growing its market. The reason that the company has not reached profitability yet is due to the fact that the company does not have sufficient sales to breakeven. 3) What does Honest Tea need to do about its financing to be successful in the future? Discuss. To be successful in the future Honest Tea needs to raise sufficient capital to expand its operations beyond the breakeven point. The firm has to invest money wisely in its marketing initiatives to expand the demand for its product. The company needs to obtain sufficient capital to purchase all the raw materials necessary to produce the projected sales of the company and to purchase the machinery and equipment nee ded for the expansion plan of the company. 4) Who has the company approached for financing in the past and were they the "right" investors? Explain. In the past the firm approached its customers to become the investors of the company. The decision to involve customers as investors was not very wise because a lot of them did not have financial knowledge which made it hard for the administration of the company to explain the financial results to them. Also the amount of money the firm obtained using this strategy was not sufficient. 5) What amount of financing appears to be needed to support the future sales projections of $9,000,000 in 2001 and $16,900,000 in 2002? Explain. Based on the fact that the cost of goods sold of the company represented

Agricultural Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Agricultural Pollution - Essay Example Heedless to the consequences of the over production and sole dedication to the corn production, the ground has been deprived of the nutrients it should have to nurture other plants, the water has been polluted with the many chemical dosing of pesticides and fertilizers for corn production, and production of toxic wastes as by-products of corn production and manufacture. Also, over eating of corn for steers, calves and other animals are causing health problems such as mad cow disease thereby affecting human consumers of these meats (Codesmity,2007). Corn derived food products such as corn sweeteners and syrups are causing obesity to the human population. Overwhelming production of corn results to environmental and agricultural pollution and general health degradation for both humans and animals. There are many corn derived products that dominates the market today. Products with corn ingredients such as corn starch, corn oil, lecithin, corn flour, citric acid, glycirides, Chicken nugge ts, margarine, salad dressing, cosmetics, toothpaste, mustard, corn syrup, sweeteners, linoleum, fiberglass and many more are used in the daily activities of man (Collins, D., 2006). USA has wide and dedicated farmlands for corns alone. Farms found such as in Iowa, where around 2 million farms are found are said to produce around 2 bushels of corn yield per acre. Hybrid corns are even developed and promoted which multiplied production to around 200 bushels per acre. Further, the government issued farm bills that subsidized corn farms has further encouraged more American farmers to produce corns alone forgetting all the other crops (Pollan, Michael, 2006, p 32). Corn manufacturers have also widened their research and development to process corn into various products, thus, there are many produced products in the market that includes corn as main ingredient. It is no harm to plant and manufacture corn as indeed there are many products that can be derived from the production of corn. H owever, with the intensified dedication of farmlands to the production of corn has made the balance of nature become skewed. Overwhelming the lands with one crop has degraded the soil due to the lack of nutrients that the single crop production has caused. By nature, corn is a greedy plant as described by both agriculturists and farmers. Planting corns requires intensive need for nitrogen fertilizers as compared with other crops. In fact, an island size â€Å"dead zone† has been created in the Mexico Gulf due to the accumulated nitrogen run-off from the corn fields into the water. It also requires more pesticides to drive out pests and have them grow to their desired output (Penguin Group USA, 2013). Due to this chemical application, air and water are inclined to be polluted with chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides. Water is then contaminated affecting nearby areas relying on the body of water for their daily use. In addition, massive corn production has forced many man ufacturers to include corn ingredients in almost all products thereby making these goods cheaper against the others. Thus, these food products, mostly composed of sweeteners are more easily consumed by the public causing obesity to almost majority of the population. Ergo, the massive and intensified corn production due to the single crop production of corn in many parts of the USA, agricultural pollution and soil degradation is indeed inevitable affecting the general health. There is no harm in corn production, but too much dedication of single handed crop production of this plant is not healthy. Soil needs to be planted with various crops in order to gain diverse nutrients necessary for the soil condition. Waters need to be free from pollutants derived from fertilizers

A Man For All Seasons Essays -- essays research papers

The 16th century was a time of political upheaval, a time of conflict and corruption †¦ and a time of heroes? All these elements are visibly present in Bolt’s book, A Man for All Seasons. As I was reading this story I was thinking that it could probably apply to our day and age but that begged the question. Why did Robert Bolt decide to use a 16th century character rather than a present time period character and setting? I believe that Bolt chose this man and his era because there things that he liked abut the man, there was no shortage of conflict and the he was worthy of being a hero. He fits into one of the archetype heroes. These three things I will touch upon in my seminar and I hope that my ideas will prove to be informative and enlightening.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the main reasons that Robert Bolt probably chose 16th century Thomas More as his hero for A Man for all Seasons was that he liked his personality. By that I mean that as Bolt wrote about More, he discovered more and more things that he found admirable about the man. At the outset, Robert Bolt was looking for a person who had a strong idea of who he is because this is what Bolt thinks is necessary to be a hero and this is exactly the type of man that Thomas More is. More saw in himself something that was his only and he was that it was something that allowed him to live life with confidence in himself. Only when he was denied that way of life was he able to accept his fate of death. Robert Bolt comments on this on page 13 of the preface. â€Å"†¦who nevertheless found something in himself without which life was valueless and when that was denied him, he was able to grasp his death.† This shows that Thomas knew that he had a sense of identity that no one else and he knew how important it was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Robert Bolt selected this man, he began to write and realised many more things about Thomas More, which had drawn him to the 16th century character. One of the things that Bolt found out was More’s sense of self. He remarks on this on page 12 of the preface. â€Å"At any rate, Thomas More, as I wrote about him, became for me a man with an adamantine sense of his own self.† Robert Bolt went back to this era long past because of that trait but it was as he wrote about him that he discovered just how strong his sense of identity was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B... ...e me, Alice, that in silence is my safety under the law, but my silence must be absolute, it must extend to you.† (P56) He has found that so long he doesn’t give any indication to his opinion, hey cannot do anything to him legally. â€Å"MORE: There’ll be no trial, they have no case.† (P85) When he is asking his family to leave the country, he knows that he has protected himself to the best of his abilities. He should be safe except for the fact that he is dealing with a corrupt King who considers himself above the law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is there any way to do a play such as this in the 20th century? Evidently, Robert Bolt thought not and after analysing the story further, I have come to realise that he is right. The elements of the story, which were present in the 16th century, are not present in the 20th. There also may have been no one in this century that Robert Bolt liked enough and with the right characteristics. And of course, there is not enough conflict for one man to face as there was in that time. I believe that there are men (And women.) who would be able to face the problems that Thomas More had to face but we can all be thankful that there is no need for it.

An Analysis of Developing American Literature Essay

An Analysis of Developing American Literature â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† by Washington Irving and â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† by James Fennimore Cooper demonstrate several distinct American characteristics. Irving focuses on New York’s Hudson River while discussing the settings of â€Å"Rip Van Winkle. New York is probably the most identifiable state in the U. S. and is recognized by its Statue of Liberty welcoming foreigners into its prideful country. While Irving discusses nature’s beauty in similar ways in the U. S. by giving a page description on a simple frozen lake in Somerville. In â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† and â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† the three main American characteristics in these short stories are: power of nature, value of the common man, and growing nationalism. Nature can be a powerful concept. In â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† there is a lovely description of the Hudson River which opens the story. â€Å"Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill mountains. They are dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river swelling up to a noble height and lording it over the surrounding country. In â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† there is a similar description. â€Å"Large flocks of wild geese were seen passing over the country, which hovered, for a time, around the hidden sheet of water, apparently searching for a resting-place; and then, on finding themselves excluded by the chill covering, would soar away to the north, filling the air with discordant screams, as if venting their complaints a the tardy operations of Nature. † Nature is very important to Washington Irving and James Cooper. Along with nature, also present is the value of the common man. Values had certainly changed when Rip awoke from his century nap. In a state of confusion, he yells, â€Å"Alas gentlemen,† cried Rip, somewhat dismayed, â€Å"I am a poor quiet man, a native of the place, and a loyal subject of the King- God bless him! † People around Rip thought what he was acting treasonous. Values of America had changed and now included the concept of voting. Along with American values, came values of nature represented in â€Å"The Slaughter f the Pigeons†. â€Å"It‘s better for you, maybe, Billy Kirby,† replied the indignant old hunter, â€Å"and all them that don’t know how to put a ball down a rifle-barrel, or how to bring it up again with a true aim; but it’s wicked to be shooting into flocks in this wasty manner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We must not waste what we are given in this world, and we must embrace change as well. As long as that change is bettering us as American citizens as shown in â€Å"Rip Van Winkle†. There is also a sense of growing nationalism embodied in both stories. In Irving’s short story there is a sign hung in honor of General Washington representing the good that he‘s done for the country. â€Å"The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff; a sword was held in the hand instead of a scepter; the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was printed in large characters. † Nationalism by definition is having pride in one’s country. Whether pride be in local government or in nature itself, in â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons,† Leather-Stocking believes that all life is valuable in this country. â€Å"Put an end, Judge, to your clearings. Ain‘t the woods His work as well as the pigeons? Use, but don‘t waste. Wasn‘t the woods made for the beasts and birds to harbor in? †¦Ã¢â‚¬  In â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† and â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† the three main American characteristics in these short stories are: power of nature, value of the common man, and growing nationalism. They are each represented in distinct ways but clearly show the importance of America and its impact on the Western Civilization that we know today. Whether stressing the importance of government change for the better in â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† or holding true to nature in â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† we all hold a part in the shaping American society. The real task is holding the past with one hand while reaching for the future with the other and never letting one side pull too hard.

Essay on Film Trailer Portfolio - 770 Words

Film Trailer Portfolio When the task of creating a film trailer was first put to us, I had several ideas for the movies context. The first was of a movie in the action genre that dealt with revenge, whilst the other two were in the horror genre. The horror genre appealed to me more, as a low budget film can still have the desired effect by use of different filming techniques, and I wanted to depend more on a psychological aspect. My first idea was to do a film about a poltergeist. I had watched several films such as Poltergeist, but wanted to create a film that relied less on visual effects, something that leant towards the style of Albert Hitchcock, who is still seen today as the Master of†¦show more content†¦I purchased the Exorcist DVD, which featured a making of documentary. Here I learned of Friedkins strict attention to detail, and also uncovered some of his secrets that made the film so effective. The film features two main techniques throughout the film that I immediately thought about adding to my own film, those being the use of lighting and sound. The film moves from very bright light scenes, such as the films opening in the Middle East, to the darkness of Georgetown (the films setting), or from the clean and well-lit living room of the house, to the black and gloomy mist of the girls bedroom. Why? The sound was used similarly, from eerily quiet to sudden loudness, one scene that uses this is the sharp cut from the Priests gentle dream of his mother, to the piercing scream of the little girl. Why The use of restful music as the main soundtrack in The Exorcist added to the loud and quiet technique Friedkin used, to create the sense that everything is calm. I myself began my trailer using this technique, with some gentle music, so that when things begin to go wrong, the impact is more substantial. 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