4 ms·

or how Microsoft trademarked a common GUI element

• bdcravens 13y ago
  Were they referred to as "windows" 30 years ago? (I believe so, but I can't recall the exact source) It's easy to think it's a common GUI element name since we all refer to windows in various OS's, but back then, there could have been any number of valid names (panes, panels, boxes, mini-screens, etc)
  • yareally 13y ago
    WIMP (windows, icons, menus, pointer) was coined in 1980[1], though Xerox PARC was likely referring to them as "windows" even before that. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIMP_(computing) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIMP_(computing)
    • anonymfus 13y ago
      You mean "It was coined by Merzouga Wilberts in 1980"? Arhive.org's snapshot of Wikipedia's source: https://web.archive.org/web/20131021094116/http://www.lottiebooth.com/pdf/essay.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20131021094116/http://www.lottie... Relevant fragment: >The main aspect of the GUI was to use graphic metaphors for objects like computer programs and documents. Another man working with the computer scientists was a Graphic Designer called Norman Cox. He was responsible for designing a series of icons to make basic operations of the computer visible as actual objects. Merzouga Wilberts also came up with the concept of WIMP (windows, icons, menus and pointers). These interface objects create a feeling of familiarity and consistency for the user enabling a particular message to be conveyed. However, the technology was not yet available to develop the ‘Xerox Star’ and the management at Xerox was not willing to invest any funds into the project as they did not see it as a marketable product. This was a big mistake! So looks like Charlotte Booth in that relatively modern article meant concept of the WIMP, not terminology.