Reborn in America: Starting as a California Resident

"Yes, mouse."

It is a small handheld device that allows precise control of the cursor movement on the screen by swiping it across a desktop.

Users can easily select options or objects on the screen by simply clicking a button on the mouse.

The origins of the mouse can be traced back to 1963, when Dr. Douglas Engelbart and his colleague Bill English of Xerox invented this revolutionary technology.

On December 9, 1968, they created the world's first "mouse".

This original device uses the change in resistance generated when the mouse moves to control the cursor's position.

This innovation not only broadened the selection of computer input devices, but also laid the foundation for the introduction of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) into later operating systems.

Unfortunately, Xerox did not implement the mouse in its improved Alto computer system until 1973.

Even more unfortunately, these systems are limited to internal laboratory use for research purposes and have not been widely promoted on the market.

In the course of its history, a major turning point for the mouse was in December 1979, when Steve Jobs was invited to see Alto and the software running on the system.

Jobs was amazed by the computer technology he saw, realizing that it represented the future trend of computer development.

Especially for GUIs used by operating systems that use a mouse as a pointing input device.

Apple immediately adopted these features and began developing a new type of home computer.

They also poached more than a dozen technical staff from Xerox with high salaries.

In 1981, Xerox launched the Star 8010 computer, which used a mouse and applied a GUI operating system. This was the first time the public had been introduced to the mouse. Unfortunately, due to the high price of this computer, sales were very low.

Nevertheless, the mouse has attracted considerable attention and is beginning to be mastered by many.

In 1983, Apple officially launched the LISA computer, Apple's first computer to use a mouse, further introducing the mouse to a wide range of users and letting them realize its convenience.

Then, in 1984, the upgraded version of LISA—the Macintosh—was launched, marking a significant milestone for Apple and a pivotal moment in the history of computer development.

The success of the Macintosh not only brought Apple substantial revenue, but also brought the mouse into every household.

As one of America's top elites, Alexander naturally possessed an extremely broad knowledge base;

However, no matter how knowledgeable he was, he was completely ignorant about laboratory technologies that were not yet widespread at the time!

Everything Henry said was new knowledge to him.

Henry began to explain enthusiastically: "The structure of the mouse is actually very simple. You can imagine it as a small device with two flat, perpendicular wheels on the bottom, each of which is connected to a mechanical rheostat."

As the mouse moves across the desktop, these wheels rotate, thus changing the resistance value of the rheostat.

If we apply a fixed voltage, the strength of the electrical signal fed back by the mouse will change as the resistance changes.

By interpreting these changing signals, the system can calculate the mouse's displacement in the horizontal and vertical directions, thereby generating a set of dynamic coordinates that change as the mouse moves.

These coordinates determine the mouse's position and movement on the screen, allowing it to replace the arrow keys on the keyboard and enabling users to freely position the cursor anywhere on the screen...

After listening to the detailed explanation, Alexander nodded involuntarily, clearly having gained a basic understanding of the mouse's purpose.

Seeing Alexander's thoughtful expression, Henry added, "This intuitive interaction method is much easier to understand than the traditional command-line interface, reducing the learning curve for users."

Imagine that folders and files are displayed as icons on the screen, just like a desk in real life.

You can easily copy or move files by dragging and dropping, without needing to remember complicated commands.

"We can also add window management functionality to this operating system, allowing users to easily switch between different applications and open new programs without closing the current application."

This allows users to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, greatly improving work efficiency.

"Wow, that's a brilliant idea! If it could really be realized, it would bring a revolutionary leap to microcomputers!"

Alexander listened with great enthusiasm, and he seemed to already envision himself using such an operating system.

However, after the initial excitement subsided, he couldn't help but think about the limitations of current technology: "So how do we solve the compatibility and performance issues to ensure that this operating system can be widely accepted?"

After all, the hardware resources available to us now are very limited—the processors are only 8-bit CPUs of about 1 MHz (such as the Zilog Z80 or Motorola 6809).

The memory is only 16KB to 64KB of RAM.

In terms of storage, floppy disk drives only ranged in capacity from 70KB to 360KB...

"I must say, that's a good question, Alexander."

We definitely need to consider this issue from the very beginning of the design process.

Henry was confident: "In the early stages, we only need to optimize the core of the operating system as much as possible, simplify the programming language, and optimize the algorithm design to ensure the efficient operation of the system."

Make it as lightweight as possible so that it runs smoothly on existing hardware.

Secondly, we can develop a virtual memory system that allows programs to run larger applications within a limited physical memory.

By using a floppy disk as auxiliary memory, unused portions can be temporarily stored on a floppy disk and read back into memory when needed.

"Furthermore, regarding compatibility issues, we will create a standard application programming interface (API) so that third-party developers can develop software based on this standard without worrying about the specific details of the underlying hardware."

This will ensure that the software can run stably on different hardware configurations.

As for accepting?

Ha ha!

I had planned this for a while...

"If that's really the case, then our Dream Software will definitely be recorded in the history of technological development!"

"Of course, Alexander."

Changing the world with technology is our constant pursuit!

We want to create a completely new product and usher in a new era.

……