Larry Tesler, the Man Behind Cut-and-Paste Function (and So Much More), Dies Aged 74

Can you imagine life without cut-and-paste? Neither can we. And Larry Tesler gave us so much more.

Larry Tesler, a computing pioneer who profoundly impacted how you work and maybe how you play, died this week, aged 74.

Name not ringing a bell? Larry Tesler invented and/or refined many aspects of the computer usability we now take for granted, including the cut, copy, and paste functions. In fact, he developed the very term “user-friendly.”

WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get), the concept behind your printed document looking exactly as it appears on the screen, was also his idea. The tension of your mouse button? Larry’s refinement, too. The list goes on.

So, the next time you sit down at your computer, give a thought to the man behind so many functions that touch your life positively every day.

For more information on all the ways Larry Tesler evolved our usability experience, read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/larry-tesler-inventor-of-copy-and-paste-computer-functions-dies-at-74/2020/02/20/e5699f6e-541c-11ea-9e47-59804be1dcfb_story.html