You know, the desktop hasn't really changed that much since 1984 when the original Macintosh debuted. Windows still work pretty much the same way they always have, and so do desktop icons. Now we have things like the Start menu and the dock, and widgets basically everywhere, but apart from pretty colors, rounded corners, and transparency, the desktop today would probably be pretty recognizable to a time traveler from 20 years ago. If you're feeling nostalgic,
this site has a screenshot timeline of the evolution of the desktop since 1984. Of course, 1984 wasn't the invention of the GUI, or even the
WIMP paradigm--the former distinction belonging to
NLS way back in the 1960s, and the latter to the
Xerox Alto, developed in 1973.
Tags: desktop, evolution, gui, history
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Comments
2
Subscribe to commentsJoshua OchsAug 14th 2006 3:05PM
This was a error-ridden piece-of-crap article when posted to Slashdot and still is. Most of the Mac OS screenshots are incorrect - there's even a IIgs screenshot in there, complete with an incorrect version!
KennyAug 15th 2006 6:02AM
Another nostalgia trip for desktops can be found at the GUIdebook - http://www.guidebookgallery.org - an archive of application splash screens, icons and more