Graphical user interface: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:19, 16 February 2004

Revision as of 10:48, 22 February 2004

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A '''graphical user interface''' (or '''GUI''', often pronounced "goo-ee") is a method of [[human-computer interaction|interacting with a computer]] through a metaphor of direct manipulation of graphical images and [[widget]]s in addition to text.

The graphical user interface was invented by researchers at the [[Stanford Research Institute]] (including [[Douglas Engelbart|Doug Engelbart]]) for use in the [[On-Line System]]. The concept was greatly refined and extended by [[Xerox PARC]], which used it as the primary interface for the [[Xerox Alto]] [[computer]]. Most modern general purpose GUIs are derived from this system. For this reason some people call this class of interface a PARC User Interface (PUI). The PUI consists of graphical [[widget]]s such as [[window (computing)|windows]], [[menu (computing)|menu]]s, [[radio button (computing)|radio button]]s, [[check box]]es, and [[icon (computing)|icon]]s, and employs a [[pointing device]] (such as mouse, trackball, or touchscreen) in addition to a keyboard. For this reason, many people refer to PUIs as WIMPs[[WIMP]]s (Windows, Icons, Mouse, Pointer). Widgets are often provided in the form of [[widget toolkit]] libraries.

Examples of systems that support PUIs are [[Mac OS]], [[Microsoft Windows]], [[NEXTSTEP]] and the [[X Window System]]. The latter is extended with toolkits such as [[Motif (widget toolkit)|Motif]] ([[CDE]]), [[Qt toolkit|Qt]] ([[KDE]]), [[GTK]]+ and ([[GNOME]]).

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Most GUIs are implemented in terms of an [[event model]], although other models exist. These alternative models for creating GUIs are generally classed as [[user interface management systems]] or UIMS.

In modern parlance '''GUI''' is synonymous with what was origianally called a [[WIMP]] system. Most modern GUIs are certainly ''WIMP''s , though occaisionally other metaphors do surface, like in [[microsoft bob]] , [[3dwm]] or (partially) [[FSV]] .

''See also'': [[History of the GUI]], [[UIML]], [[Fitts' law]], [[Anti-Mac]], [[Apple v. Microsoft]]

''See also'': [[History of the GUI]], [[UIML]], [[Fitts' law]], [[Anti-Mac]], [[Apple v. Microsoft]], [[WIMP]]

[[de:GUI]]