Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
While its known that Xerox used the Mouse for the Alto, what's considerably less remembered is that in 1980 Xerox experimented selling a word processor with what I can tell is the earliest trackpad designed to move a cursor with your fingers and to do so in a shipping commercial product. (IE: anyone who could afford it could buy one). At a notable expense I've come into ownership of one. Not the whole system, so I can't demonstrate it working. Just the pad and the interface board.
In this video I will try to explain why if you search for what the first trackpad is you will run into a confusing mix of history, how with no evidence I suspect this was a pet project of someone at PARC and we look at the hardware itself.
I will be truthful right now that while I have attempted to research this and get as much as my information correct, there are many holes in what I could find and I will likely of made a mistake or two. I am more than willing to read anything you wish to add to what I've found in the comments.
For more information on the Xerox 860, the Digibarn has a page on their machine - digibarn.com/collections/systems/xerox860/index.html
Here is a very old (but somewhat recently uploaded) video of the same system. By the sounds of it, the museum's curator, Bruce Damer is behind the camera - youtube.com/watch?v=jybrwHfiV1s
Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
While its known that Xerox used the Mouse for the Alto, what's considerably less remembered is that in 1980 Xerox experimented selling a word processor with what I can tell is the earliest trackpad designed to move a cursor with your fingers and to do so in a shipping commercial product. (IE: anyone who could afford it could buy one). At a notable expense I've come into ownership of one. Not the whole system, so I can't demonstrate it working. Just the pad and the interface board.
In this video I will try to explain why if you search for what the first trackpad is you will run into a confusing mix of history, how with no evidence I suspect this was a pet project of someone at PARC and we look at the hardware itself.
I will be truthful right now that while I have attempted to research this and get as much as my information correct, there are many holes in what I could find and I will likely of made a mistake or two. I am more than willing to read anything you wish to add to what I've found in the comments.
For more information on the Xerox 860, the Digibarn has a page on their machine - digibarn.com/collections/systems/xerox860/index.html
Here is a very old (but somewhat recently uploaded) video of the same system. By the sounds of it, the museum's curator, Bruce Damer is behind the camera - youtube.com/watch?v=jybrwHfiV1s
Remember to follow me on "X" at @CelGenStudios to keep up to date on what I am doing and what might be happening in the next video.
