refers to a landmark 90-minute live presentation given by Douglas Engelbart and his team at the Augmentation Research Center (SRI) on December 9, 1968, at the Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco.

The demonstration introduced the oN-Line System (NLS) and showcased foundational technologies that define modern computing, including:

  • The computer mouse and graphical user interface (GUI) concepts.

  • Hypertext linking and windowed computing.

  • Real-time collaborative editing and video conferencing.

  • Word processing, version control, and "what you see is what you get" editing.

Though initially viewed with skepticism, the demo is widely credited with inspiring the development of personal computing, influencing later innovations at Xerox PARC and the creation of the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows.

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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Mother_of_All_Demos
The Mother of All Demos - Wikipedia
February 26, 2026 - "The Mother of All Demos" was a landmark computer demonstration, named retroactively, of developments by Stanford Research Institute's Augmentation Research Center. It was presented at the Association for Computing Machinery / Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (ACM/IEEE)—Computer ...
Discussions

The Mother of All Demos
That demo is one of the most underrated demo's of all time, the work done on that project lead directly to the work done at Xerox PARC which led to the first 'personal' computer - kinda, if you had $32,000 - with a graphical interface, the Alto. That system led directly to the Mac and to Windows. That system also led to 2 inventions we take for granted now, Ethernet and object orientated programming More on reddit.com
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August 3, 2020
The Mother Of All Demos (1968) - Fifty years ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated his unique concepts of a mouse, a word processor, hypertext and email.
I had the privilege of meeting and working with him during a PR initiative honoring him for his pioneering inventions. I was his PR representative and I trained him to handle interviews with the press ("Doug, you don't have to mention that you were part of Timothy Leary's experiments with LSD, and try not to say 'paradigm" all the time." ) " He called me "coach." A kinder, more gentle and sweeter man, a more unassuming yet brilliant genius, never existed. I would have taken a bullet for him. He seemed amused by all the publicity; I was so sorry to learn he passed away but I know he's in a good place. RIP, Doug! More on reddit.com
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April 15, 2018
55 years ago, the ā€˜Mother of All Demos’ foresaw modern computing

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December 9, 2023
The Mother Of All htmx Demos (Slides)
Includes the numbers mentioned here: https://www.reddit.com/r/htmx/comments/xlmmgy/real_world_port_from_react_htmx_67_reduction_in/ another cool fact is that it turned the entire team into full stack developers, which means people have much more ownership over the features they implement. one of my favorite aspects of htmx! More on reddit.com
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September 28, 2022
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Lemelson
invention.si.edu › invention-stories › mother-all-demos
The Mother of All Demos | Lemelson
On December 9, 1968—fifty years ago this week---Engelbart debuted these innovations in what has subsequently been hailed as ā€œthe mother of all demos.ā€ [1] This post explores the motivations that led to the demo, and its singular influence on the history of computing.
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WIRED
wired.com › article › 20th century › dec. 9, 1968: the mother of all demos
Dec. 9, 1968: The Mother of All Demos | WIRED
December 9, 2010 - 1968: Computer scientist Douglas Engelbart kicks off the personal computer revolution with a product demonstration that is so amazing it inspires a generation of technologists. It will become known as "the mother of all demos."
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Internet Hall of Fame
internethalloffame.org › home › inductee highlights › engelbart’s ā€œthe mother of all demosā€
Engelbart's "The Mother of all Demos" - Internet Hall of Fame
March 8, 2023 - Retrospectively called ā€˜The Mother of All Demos,’ this marked the first time the world saw a computer mouse, hypertext linking, real-time text editing, multiple windows with flexible view control and shared-screen teleconferencing.
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Jala University
jala.university › home › academic vision › douglas engelbart and ā€œthe mother of all demosā€
Douglas Engelbart and ā€œThe Mother of All Demosā€ - Jala University
November 26, 2025 - That’s what the attendees experienced at a historic demonstration that forever changed the perspective of the future of computers. It was the so-called ā€œThe Mother of All Demosā€, which was a conference lasting about 90 minutes!
Find elsewhere
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Netguru
hiddenheroes.netguru.com › douglas-engelbart
Douglas Engelbart and the Mother of all Demos | Hidden Heroes
More than 50 years ago, Douglas Engelbart gave the ā€œmother of all demosā€ that transformed software forever.
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Hackaday
hackaday.com › 2019 › 01 › 03 › retrotechtacular-the-mother-of-all-demos-50-years-on
The Mother Of All Demos, 50 Years On | Hackaday
January 3, 2019 - Reading a Twitter feed or scanning YouTube comments, one can argue with how well Engelbart’s vision worked out, but there’s no arguing with the fact that he invented almost all the trappings of modern human-computer interaction, and bestowed it upon the world in one massive demonstration that became known as ā€œThe Mother of All Demos.ā€
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Vintage
vintag.es › 2019 › 03 › mother-of-all-demos-1968.html
In 1968, Computers Got Personal: How Douglas Engelbart's "Mother of All Demos" Changed Personal Technology Forever ~ Vintage Everyday
March 23, 2019 - Their secrets were accessible only via punch card and teletype terminals. On December 9, 1968, Doug Engelbart and his Augmentation Research Center (ARC) at SRI staged a 90-minute public multimedia demonstration which presaged many of the technologies we use today.
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OPB
opb.org › article › 2023 › 12 › 09 › mother-of-all-demos-oregon-1968-computer-demonstration-douglas-engelbart
55 years ago, the ā€˜Mother of All Demos’ foresaw modern computing - OPB
December 9, 2023 - On Dec. 9, 1968, Oregon-born engineer and inventor Douglas Engelbart hosted a computer demonstration so groundbreaking it is known today as the ā€œMother of All Demos.ā€
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DARPA
darpa.mil › about › innovation-timeline › mother-of-all-demos
Mother of All Demos | DARPA
In what became known as "The Mother of All Demos"—because it demonstrated the revolutionary features of NLS as well as never-before-seen video presentation technologies—Engelbart unveiled NLS in San Francisco on December 9, 1968, to a large audience at the Fall Joint Computer Conference.
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YouTube
youtube.com › playlist
Douglas Engelbart's 'Mother of All Demos' - YouTube
Watch Douglas Engelbart and his SRI team give the first public demonstration of the computer mouse and other fundamentals of personal computing on December 9...
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Open Culture
openculture.com › home › great moments in computer history: douglas engelbart presents ā€œthe mother of all demosā€ (1968)
Great Moments in Computer History: Douglas Engelbart Presents "The Mother of All Demos" (1968) | Open Culture
July 4, 2013 - But it was conĀ­sidĀ­ered far-fetched back then. A decade latĀ­er, EngelĀ­bart brought us all into the world of interĀ­acĀ­tive comĀ­putĀ­ing and graphĀ­ic interĀ­faces when, in 1968, he preĀ­sentĀ­ed what’s now called ā€œThe MothĀ­er of All Demos.ā€ You can watch it in its entireĀ­ty above.
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Fast Company
fastcompany.com › section › mother-of-all-demos
mother of all demos
Fast Company is the world's leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, leadership, and design.
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WIRED
wired.com › business › computers › 50 years later, we still don't grasp the mother of all demos
50 Years Later, We Still Don't Grasp the Mother of All Demos | WIRED
December 10, 2018 - Doug Engelbart didn't just want to show off new technology. He wanted to demonstrate a system for improving humanity. Doug Engelbart presenting the computer mouse at what came to be called the Mother of All Demos in 1968.Apic/Getty Images
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Poynter
poynter.org › home › today in media history: in 1968, the computer mouse was introduced at the ā€˜mother of all demos’
Today in Media History: In 1968, the computer mouse was introduced at the 'mother of all demos' - Poynter
December 9, 2014 - During that unveiling, Engelbart presented what some have called ā€˜the mother of all demos,’ outlining concepts that would presage the next 40 years of computing, including the use of a three-button palm-sized contraption called a ā€˜mouse.’
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Anthonymcook
blog.anthonymcook.com › articles › douglas-engelbarts-mother-of-all-demos
Mother of All Demos // digital. [nomad]
Below are high quality digital videos of the three black and white film reels recorded at Doug’s ā€œMother of All Demosā€ in 1968.
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Computer History Museum
computerhistory.org › home › chm blog › internet history program › net@50: did engelbart’s ā€œmother of all demosā€ launch the connected world?
Net@50: Did Engelbart's ā€œMother of All Demosā€ Launch the Connected World? - CHM
October 14, 2019 - In 1968, Engelbart and his staff put on the so-called ā€œmother of all demosā€ at a major conference in San Francisco, showing off all the features they had developed over the years.
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Engadget
engadget.com › 2018-12-10-mother-of-all-demos-50th-anniversary.html
50 years ago, 'the mother of all demos' foretold our tech future
August 8, 2019 - In a presentation dubbed "the mother of all demos," Douglas Engelbart showed off technology that would lead directly to Apple's Macintosh, the internet, Windows, Google Docs, the computer mouse and much, much more.