MOUSE MAN PASSES

William English, co‑creator of the computer mouse, passed away at the age of 91 on 26 July. Based on conceptual notes provided by his Stanford Research Institute colleague Doug Engelbart, William created the first mouse prototype in 1963, consisting of a wooden block with a single button and two wheels to track movement. The concept was demonstrated to the public in 1968 and by the late Eighties the mouse – now with a ball instead of wheels – had become a crucial interface tool, both in general purpose computing and gaming. Our thoughts are with William’s family and friends at this time.