Xerox opens the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)

1st June 1970
Xerox opens the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)

On the 1st of June 1970, Xerox opened its Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in Palo Alto, California. Xerox PARC was one of three research and development centers in the company, responsible for inventing and developing new computing technology.

An impressive number of modern computing technologies were invented at Xerox PARC, including the following:

The first WIMP (windows, icons, menus, pointer) graphical user interface.
The first personal computer, the Xerox Alto.
The first object-oriented programming language, Smalltalk, which provided the conceptual foundations of languages including C++, Java, and Python.
Ethernet networking.
Laser printers.

Related information:

Image:

The Xerox PARC sign
Credit: Xerox

Related Items in the Collection:

Xerox Alto personal computer is developed at Xerox PARC

Bob Metcalfe invents Ethernet

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