Definition of GUI (Graphical User Interface)

In informatics, GUI is a set of forms and methods that allow users to interact with a system, using graphics and images for this.

With graphic forms we refer to buttons, icons, windows, fonts, etc.which they represent functions, actions and information in the context of that system.

When we talk about the system we mean any electronic device that has a screen and a graphic operating system: smart phones, home computers, notebooks, ATMs automatics, music players, gaming devices, industrial and office equipment, POS terminals, kiosks, etc.Whenever they have a visual screen, of course.

GUI means Graphic User Interface or Graphical User Interface.

It is not the only type of user interface, in fact, the GUI arises from an evolution of the traditional command line interface (also called CLI) of the first systems operational The best known example is the DOS family of systems (such as MS-DOS).The command line interface is still used in multiple cases because it is sometimes convenient.

An intermediate interface between GUI and The command line is the text interface.

The GUI interface undoubtedly facilitates the use and learning curve of operating systems and applications, compared to the command line that requires memorizing commands and parameters, and are very dependent on the keyboard.

See interface for more information.

The graphic interface and the visual design with respect to the user

The design of The visual composition and temporal behavior of a graphical user interface is a very important part of the programming of an application software or an operating system.The primary objective must be efficiency and ease of use for the user, this discipline is called usability.Interaction designs and methods should be centered two in the user, introducing visual and text elements that are easy to understand and that follow certain standards.

These visual elements are also called widgets.At the end of this article we have a table with a wide variety of elements common GUI visuals in graphic operating systems.

The graphical user interface and its adaptation to touch screens

With the arrival of touch screens, the graphical interfaces have been somewhat altered to facilitate the interaction of the user who now uses the fingers or special pencils.In general, this adaptation allows slides of larger elements, texts and icons (the finger is thicker than a mouse cursor), finger gestures (e.g..: pinch the screen), etc.

The attempt to unify applications or operating systems to control with a mouse or to control with a touch screen does not always give good results.The confusing mix of interfaces that are made in W Indows 8 for PCs do not conform too much, neither to specialists nor to novice users, such is that Microsoft had to redesign its next operating system, Windows 10 to a style more similar to the classic Windows, at least when running on PCs.

Brief history of the graphical user interface (GUI)

First steps

The first graphical interfaces were created by researchers at the Institute of Stanford Research led by Douglas Engelbart.They designed text-based hyperlinks manipulated with a mouse for the NLS (oN-Line System), a revolutionary computer system, which was the first to employ such links, the mouse, raster-scan screen monitors, etc.

The hyperlink concept was refined and extended to graphics by Xerox PARC researchers, specifically Alan Kay using GUI as the main interface for the Xerox Alto computer launched in 1973.

It could be said that the GUI system of the c The Xerox Alto computer is the mother of all modern graphic interfaces, since it used elements that today we would all distinguish: windows, buttons, menus, etc.This interface is called the PARC interface.

Computer Xerox Alto and its graphic environment

In 1963, Ivan Sutherland had already developed a system based on pointers called Sketchpad, using a pencil of light to create and manipulate objects in drawing programs.

The PARC user interface It consists of basic graphic elements such as windows, menus, radio buttons and check boxes.The icon concept was later introduced by David Canfield Smith, then PARC began using a pointing device along with the keyboard.From this union WIMP emerged : windows (windows), icons, menus and pointer.

The evolution of the PARC interface

After PARC, the first computer model based on GUI was the 1981 Xerox 8010 Information System (Xerox Star), followed by the 1983 Apple Lisa, which introduced new elements: menu bar and window controls, followed by Apple Macintosh 128K in 1984, and the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga in 1985.

Visi On was launched in 1983 for compatible IBM PC computers running MS-DOS.It had a short life due to large hardware demands, but it was very influential when it came to Graphical user interface environments.I include nothing more and nothing less than the Windows operating system.

The big companies of the moment: Apple, IBM and Microsoft, used many of the ideas of the Xerox PARC interface and also the IBM Common User Access CUA specifications.These specifications are interface standards for operating systems and computer programs launched in 1987.They served for the development of the graphical interfaces of the operating systems VM/CMS, OS/400, OS/2, Microsoft Windows and the Unix Motif toolkit.

These ideas are currently the basis for the creation of a large number of operating systems such as Windows, Unix for PCs, macOS and Linux.

Increasing the power of computers and improving the interface

1980s:

Even if the operating system did not have a graphical interface, as is the case with DOS operating systems, if applications were launched using systems of windows, usually using a text interface.

It also happened that each individual application had its own p It was a GUI variant, so this made the way to interact with each of these programs in general vary greatly.

Despite the great advantages of GUI interfaces, hardware limitations and problems with compatibilities prevented a substantial improvement in this area.

In 1984, Apple introduced the Apple Macintosh during a commercial in Super Bowl XVIII, identifying the interface of its product as easy to use for ordinary people.it became the motto of the company since then.

1990s:

Without doubt the great leap of the decade, accompanied by a spectacular advertising campaign, was given by Windows 95.thus the most popular operating system in the world in desktop computers.Nothing resembled its predecessor, the Windows 3.x.Its graphical user interface was revolutionary.While it did not introduce too many new concepts, it was really visually appealing.

Decade of 2000:

This decade is ma This is due to the massification of touch screens, especially in handheld devices.The great revelation came in 2007 with the iPhone smartphone and then in 2010 with the introduction of the iPad, both from the Apple company.This change in the user interface He put this company on the map again.

Apple actually popularized the so-called "post WIMP" style of interaction on multi-touch screens.

Decade of 2010:

The current GUIs are very similar to each other, they have become so friendly that even older people are encouraged to use them.Basically the most popular are those used in Windows, OS X and the Windows System X interfaces for desktops and laptops.

In both Android, Apple iOS, Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone, Palm Os-WebOS and Firefox OS are the most popular on handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets.

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