Augmentation Research Center
Encyclopedia
Stanford Research Institute's Augmentation Research Center (ARC) was founded in the 1960s by electrical engineer Douglas Engelbart
to develop and experiment with new tools and techniques for collaboration and information processing
. The main product to come out of ARC was the revolutionary oN-Line System, better known by its odd abbreviation, NLS
. ARC is also known for the invention of the "computer mouse
" pointing device, and its role in the early formation of the Internet
.
Engelbart recruited workers and ran the organization until the late 1970s when the project was commercialized.
were developed in 1959 funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (now Rome Laboratory
).
By 1962 a framework document was published.
J. C. R. Licklider
, the first director of the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO), funded the project in early 1963. First experiments were done trying to connect a display at SRI to the massive one-of-a-kind AN/FSQ-32
computer at the System Development Corporation
in Santa Monica, California
.
NASA
provided major funding through Robert Taylor
in 1964. A custom graphical workstation was built around a commercial computer, the CDC 160A
, and a CDC 3100
, which handled a single user at a time.
In 1965 Taylor became IPTO director, which increased the funding. In 1968 an SDS 940
computer running the Berkeley Timesharing System
allowed multiple users
The project was first called ARNAS after the sponsors. For a few years it was then called the Augmented Human Intellect Research Center, which got shortened to the Augmentation Research Center around 1969.
In December 1968 a 90 minute session showed real-time video conferencing and interactive editing in an era when batch processing
was still the paradigm for using computers. This was later called "the Mother of All Demos
".
Engelbart had volunteered ARC to provide the first reference library service on the ARPANET
while it was being designed. The first message sent on ARPANET was between the ARC computer and UCLA. Larry Roberts
continued to fund the ARC through DARPA IPTO until he left in 1974. The library service evolved into the Internet Network Information Center
managed by Elizabeth J. Feinler
.
Bertram Raphael
was put in charge of the project in 1976, and Englebart was fired from SRI in July 1977.
The technology was sold to Tymshare
in 1977, with 20 members of the former SRI group becoming Tymshare employees.
Only about three or four people were left to continue the NIC, although this group grew quickly along with the Internet
.
Jon Postel
left in 1977 to join the Information Sciences Institute
.
A number of early participants moved on to careers at Xerox
, Hewlett-Packard
, Apple Computer
, Sun Microsystems
, and other leading computer companies.
The complex story of the rise and fall of ARC has been documented in a book by sociologist Thierry Bardini
. From the perspective of the 1960s counter-culture revolution
, John Markoff
, in his book What the Dormouse Said
, also follows Englebart's persistence in creating ARC as not only a collection of talented off-beat engineers working in direct contrast to the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory nearby, but also as a sociological experiment that constructed and tested methods for group creation and design.
ARC was also indirectly covered in many other books about Xerox PARC
, since that is where many ARC employees later fled to (and brought some of Engelbart's ideas with them). Tayor had founded the Computer Systems Laboratory at PARC in 1970.
Douglas Engelbart
Douglas Carl Engelbart is an American inventor, and an early computer and internet pioneer. He is best known for his work on the challenges of human-computer interaction, resulting in the invention of the computer mouse, and the development of hypertext, networked computers, and precursors to GUIs...
to develop and experiment with new tools and techniques for collaboration and information processing
Information processing
Information processing is the change of information in any manner detectable by an observer. As such, it is a process which describes everything which happens in the universe, from the falling of a rock to the printing of a text file from a digital computer system...
. The main product to come out of ARC was the revolutionary oN-Line System, better known by its odd abbreviation, NLS
NLS (computer system)
NLS, or the "oN-Line System", was a revolutionary computer collaboration system designed by Douglas Engelbart and implemented by researchers at the Augmentation Research Center at the Stanford Research Institute during the 1960s...
. ARC is also known for the invention of the "computer mouse
Mouse (computing)
In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
" pointing device, and its role in the early formation of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Engelbart recruited workers and ran the organization until the late 1970s when the project was commercialized.
History
Some early ideas by Douglas EngelbartDouglas Engelbart
Douglas Carl Engelbart is an American inventor, and an early computer and internet pioneer. He is best known for his work on the challenges of human-computer interaction, resulting in the invention of the computer mouse, and the development of hypertext, networked computers, and precursors to GUIs...
were developed in 1959 funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (now Rome Laboratory
Rome Laboratory
The Rome Laboratory, formerly known as the Rome Air Development Center, is one of eight research and development labs run by the US Air Force located at Griffiss AFB in Rome, NY. One of four superlabs run by the Air Force, the Rome Lab is tasked with generic research, as opposed to having a...
).
By 1962 a framework document was published.
J. C. R. Licklider
J. C. R. Licklider
Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider , known simply as J.C.R. or "Lick" was an American computer scientist, considered one of the most important figures in computer science and general computing history...
, the first director of the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO), funded the project in early 1963. First experiments were done trying to connect a display at SRI to the massive one-of-a-kind AN/FSQ-32
AN/FSQ-32
The AN/FSQ-32 was a computer made by IBM in 1960 and 1961 for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command . IBM called it the 4020 Military Computer, but it was more commonly known as the Q-32. Only one unit was ever built.-History:The Q-32 was installed at System Development Corporation ...
computer at the System Development Corporation
System Development Corporation
System Development Corporation , based in Santa Monica, California, was considered the world's first computer software company.SDC started in 1955 as the systems engineering group for the SAGE air defense ground system at the RAND Corporation...
in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
.
NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
provided major funding through Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor (computer scientist)
Robert William Taylor , known as Bob Taylor, is an Internet pioneer, who led teams that made major contributions to the personal computer, and other related technologies....
in 1964. A custom graphical workstation was built around a commercial computer, the CDC 160A
CDC 160A
The CDC 160 and CDC 160-A were 12-bit minicomputers built by Control Data Corporation from 1960 to 1965. The 160 was designed by Seymour Cray - reportedly over a long three-day weekend...
, and a CDC 3100
CDC 3000
The CDC 3000 series computers from Control Data Corporation were mid-1960s follow-ons to the CDC 1604 and CDC 924 systems. Over time, a range of machines were produced - divided into the 'upper 3000 series' and the 'lower 3000 series'. CDC phased out production of the 3000 series in the early 1970s...
, which handled a single user at a time.
In 1965 Taylor became IPTO director, which increased the funding. In 1968 an SDS 940
SDS 940
The SDS 940 was Scientific Data Systems' first machine designed to support time sharing directly, and was based on the SDS 930's 24-bit CPU built primarily of integrated circuits. It was announced in February 1966 and shipped in April, becoming a major part of Tymshare's expansion during the 1960s...
computer running the Berkeley Timesharing System
Berkeley Timesharing System
The Berkeley Timesharing System was a pioneering time-sharing operating system implemented between 1964 and 1967 at the University of California, Berkeley...
allowed multiple users
The project was first called ARNAS after the sponsors. For a few years it was then called the Augmented Human Intellect Research Center, which got shortened to the Augmentation Research Center around 1969.
In December 1968 a 90 minute session showed real-time video conferencing and interactive editing in an era when batch processing
Batch processing
Batch processing is execution of a series of programs on a computer without manual intervention.Batch jobs are set up so they can be run to completion without manual intervention, so all input data is preselected through scripts or command-line parameters...
was still the paradigm for using computers. This was later called "the Mother of All Demos
The Mother of All Demos
The Mother of All Demos is a name given to Douglas Engelbart's December 9, 1968, demonstration of experimental computer technologies that are now commonplace...
".
Engelbart had volunteered ARC to provide the first reference library service on the ARPANET
ARPANET
The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network , was the world's first operational packet switching network and the core network of a set that came to compose the global Internet...
while it was being designed. The first message sent on ARPANET was between the ARC computer and UCLA. Larry Roberts
Lawrence Roberts (scientist)
Lawrence G. Roberts received the Draper Prize in 2001 and the Principe de Asturias Award in 2002 "for the development of the Internet" along with Leonard Kleinrock, Robert Kahn, and Vinton Cerf....
continued to fund the ARC through DARPA IPTO until he left in 1974. The library service evolved into the Internet Network Information Center
InterNIC
The Internet Network Information Center, known as InterNIC, was the Internet governing body primarily responsible for domain name and IP address allocations from 1972 until September 18, 1998 when this role was assumed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers...
managed by Elizabeth J. Feinler
Elizabeth J. Feinler
Elizabeth Jocelyn "Jake" Feinler is an American information scientist.From 1972 until 1989 she was director of the Network Information Systems Center at the Stanford Research Institute...
.
Bertram Raphael
Bertram Raphael
Bertram Raphael is an American computer scientist known for his contributions to artificial intelligence.-Biography:Raphael was born in 1936 in in New York...
was put in charge of the project in 1976, and Englebart was fired from SRI in July 1977.
The technology was sold to Tymshare
Tymshare
Tymshare, Inc. was headquartered in Cupertino, California from 1964 to 1984.It was a well-known timesharing service and third-party hardware maintenance company throughout its history and competed with companies such as Four Phase, Compuserve, and Digital Equipment Corporation...
in 1977, with 20 members of the former SRI group becoming Tymshare employees.
Only about three or four people were left to continue the NIC, although this group grew quickly along with the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Jon Postel
Jon Postel
Jonathan Bruce Postel was an American computer scientist who made many significant contributions to the development of the Internet, particularly with respect to standards...
left in 1977 to join the Information Sciences Institute
Information Sciences Institute
The Information Sciences Institute is a research and development unit of the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering which focuses on computer and communications technology and information processing...
.
A number of early participants moved on to careers at Xerox
Xerox
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
, Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
, Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
, Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
, and other leading computer companies.
The complex story of the rise and fall of ARC has been documented in a book by sociologist Thierry Bardini
Thierry Bardini
Thierry Bardini is a French sociologist who did all his academic career outside France. He is a full professor in the Department of Communication at the Université de Montréal, Canada, where he co-directs the Workshop in Radical Empiricism ....
. From the perspective of the 1960s counter-culture revolution
Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
, John Markoff
John Markoff
John Markoff is a journalist best known for his work at The New York Times, and a book and series of articles about the 1990s pursuit and capture of hacker Kevin Mitnick.- Biography :...
, in his book What the Dormouse Said
What the Dormouse Said
What the Dormouse Said: How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry, is a 2005 non-fiction book by John Markoff. The book details the history of the personal computer, closely tying the ideologies of the Collaboration-driven, World War II-era defense research community to...
, also follows Englebart's persistence in creating ARC as not only a collection of talented off-beat engineers working in direct contrast to the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory nearby, but also as a sociological experiment that constructed and tested methods for group creation and design.
ARC was also indirectly covered in many other books about Xerox PARC
Xerox PARC
PARC , formerly Xerox PARC, is a research and co-development company in Palo Alto, California, with a distinguished reputation for its contributions to information technology and hardware systems....
, since that is where many ARC employees later fled to (and brought some of Engelbart's ideas with them). Tayor had founded the Computer Systems Laboratory at PARC in 1970.