Abstract:

"This is an initial summary report of a project taking a new and systematic approach to improving the intellectual effectiveness
of the individual human being. A detailed conceptual framework explores the nature of the system composed of the individual and
the tools, concepts, and methods that match his basic capabilities to his problems. One of the tools that shows the
greatest immediate promise is the computer, when it can be harnessed for direct on-line assistance, integrated with new
concepts and methods."

Those words are the Abstract at the beginning of Doug Engelbart's 1962 report, "Augmenting Human Intellect: A Conceptual Framework", written at Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International) in Menlo Park. The report contains many detailed specific examples of the potential benefits of computer technology for individuals, groups, and society at large. Thirty-five years later we have achieved some of these goals, but there is more that can be done.

This program will attempt to describe the scope of Doug Engelbart's work with a series of speakers, who all worked at SRI:

• Jeff Rulifson will suggest dividing up Doug's proposal and influence into three main areas:

  • hardware, machine, display, interface tools

  • consistent user environment, integrated set of tools

  • evolution of tools and human systems

• Bill English worked with Doug early on hardware, and will cover that subject (one minor detail being the development of the mouse)

• Charles Irby worked with Doug as a systems architect, integrating hardware and software development, and will discuss the overall user environment, with a video of the classic 1969 ASIS demo

• Doug Engelbart (who else?) will discuss the evolution of tools and human systems

If you plan to attend the talk, and would like to pick up a copy of the original 1962 edition of "Augmenting Human Intellect: A Conceptual Framework" at the talk, please send a simple email note to allison@tcm.org (or else call Zoe Allison at 650/604-2575). 5

A complete on-line bibliography of relevant documentation and papers, including an on-line version of "Augmenting Human Intellect" (which was transcribed in by Michael Friedewald just this Sept. in Germany), is available at http://www.bootstrap.org/biblio.htm. The on-line version is accurate, but is missing the Abstract (quoted above), which should appear immediately before the Foreword.

Next program: Jan. 27, 1998---Development of time-sharing operating systems at Lawrence Livermore Lab, first in a series of three programs on hardware and software contributions from Livermore. The entire Livermore Computer Museum collection is now housed at the History Center at Moffett Field.

These lectures are sponsored by The Computer Museum History Center and Sun Microsystems.

Directions from highway 101 northbound in Menlo Park: take Willow Rd. exit in direction of Menlo Park, and go west over 1 mile to Middlefield. Turn right on Middlefield, and follow it about 3/4 mile to Ravenswood. Then left on Ravenswood to the main SRI entrance at 333 Ravenswood, half way down the block. Follow signs to the International Building Auditorium, on your left as you enter the parking lot.

Journal Document # (BI,1727,)