Computer Retrospectives - A Short History Of Operating Systems

Many young people these days take for granted the mouse controlled operating systems that have been the standard since the 80s. The mouse is the major improvement that I can remember in the development of the home computer.

When I was a youngster, the computers that everybody wanted more than anything were the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. The Commodores were on the whole oversized keyboards that plugged into your TV set, and a tape player to store and load data, programs, or games. Compared to current PCs, you couldnt really refer to it as an operating system; it didnt even have a mouse and it was totally different to Windows XP or OS X. When you bought a video game for these early home computers, on the reverse of the case it had information on how to load. I cant really remember, but I think you had to type in Run and press the play button.

The Significance of the Mouse

My first memories of having a go on a mouse were when using a Commodore Amiga 500 one of the most desirable gaming systems of the mid to late 80s. The Amiga did have a primitive OS but it could only display a handful of colours and generally it looked a bit rubbish. However, this was the initial step away from having to be able to code to operate a computer. The mouse is much more instinctive than typing code and made a big impact in helping to grow the home computing market.

When I was at College, a mate of mine divulged a fascinating story about the invention of the mouse. His father worked at Xerox and had said the corporation was the creator of the mouse. Then Steve Jobs caught wind of the device and included it into his Apple computers. I dont know what sort of legal proceedings ensued, but the intellectual property for the mouse surely has to be up there with the most well-paid ever devised. There must have been billions of the things produced.

The establishment of the mouse can be considered the initiator of the operating system as it appears today. Microsoft created Windows 3.1 which was fairly ugly even in those days. Apples OS 7 was a lot more visually attractive and simpler to operate. The problem was that the programs on Windows were actually suited to business use. The Apple computer catered for the artistic inclined market becoming the platform for computer art, and graphic design. The two OSs were complete opposites, you couldnt even trade a floppy disk between them, they had their own peripherals, and you could forget about networking them. Step by step over the preceding 25 years the differences became less, and in 2006 Apple computers started to use Intel processors so they could even run Windows. Who would have thought it?

Microsoft Windows has always lagged behind Mac OS when it comes to visual appeal. Even with Vista, it still looks inferior to OS X Leopard although that might just be to do with Bill Gates taste.

What the Future Holds

Looking towards the upcoming gadgets of tomorrow, there are a handful of really interesting directions for new interface devices. The mouse became the innovative device for operating systems in the 80s, and in 2007 the touch screen could well follow in it's footsteps. The iPhone has done away with mice, trackballs, and keyboards, because it has swapped them with a touch screen. Although typing is a tad fiddly with no sensation of a key press, it has forged new territory in the development of the home PC. It delivers much superior mobility and convenience - something that is surely to get better and better in years to come.