Robert Taylor, a computer scientist who was instrumental in the creation of the internet and modern computer, has died. He was 85. While many people played a role in building the internet, few made as many contributions as Taylor. As a researcher for the Pentagon's Advanced Research Projects Agency in 1966, Taylor was frustrated that he had to use three separate terminals to communicate with researchers through incompatible computer systems. His solution was Arpanet, a single computer network to link each project with the others that would evolve into what we now know as the internet. Taylor correctly predicted the network would one day become an efficient and necessary utility for the public.
In 1970, Taylor moved on to Xerox's famous Palo Alto Research Center, where he oversaw design and creation of the Alto, considered a pioneer in personal computers. The Alto was the first computer designed to support an operating system based on a graphical user interface, a concept to be copied by the operating systems that would follow.
| ARPANET -- The first network of computers able to communicate across phone lines. |
 | The Mouse -- Prior to its use, all action on a computer were done by typing. Steve Jobs and Apple computer used this innovation in their Macintosh computer in 1984. |
| Graphical User Interface -- Along with the mouse came a new operating system that utilized GUI. This OS allowed users to click on images to select and open them. |
 | WYSIWYG -- The Bravo word processing programming language was the first to appear on the screen precisely as the document would be printed. As obvious as this seems today, this was a major evolution in computing. |
Credits:
https://www.cnet.com/news/computer-and-internet-pioneer-robert-taylor-dies-at-85/
No comments:
Post a Comment