Have you ever pondered why some things are the way they are in computing? Or perhaps why some aspects have lived on well past their prime? The System Request key and the Scroll Lock key are two perfect examples of features that are no longer relevant yet still remain a staple on most keyboards.
Even the modern mouse pointer is an interesting case with a history all its own. Surely you've noticed (but perhaps never questioned) why the mouse pointer is tilted to the left instead of pointing straight up. This very question recently came up over at Stack Exchange and I'll be the first to admit that I had no idea as to the answer (nor had I ever really questioned why it didn't point straight up).
As software developer Bart Gijssens points out, Douglas Englebart was responsible for inventing the mouse and subsequently, the mouse pointer. Early iterations did in fact point straight up but ultimately the pointer was changed to what we're familiar with today because it was easier to distinguish on the low resolution screens of the time.
Gijssens goes on to point out (no pun intended) that Bill Gates copied it from Steve Jobs who copied it from Douglas Englebart.
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