Lecture Notes: Apple and the Graphical User Interface

Introduction

• Previous lecture covered Xerox PARC's development of the graphical user interface (GUI).
• Xerox PARC's GUI was designed to make computers more intuitive and user-friendly.

Steve Jobs and Xerox PARC

• Apple, led by Steve Jobs, visited Xerox PARC to learn about their GUI.
• Xerox wanted to invest in Apple, leading to a deal where Apple could explore Xerox's innovations.
• Steve Jobs and his team visited Xerox PARC in December 1979.

Steve Jobs' Vision

• Jobs was excited and saw the GUI as the future of computing.
• Despite claims of theft, Apple paid for access to Xerox’s ideas.
• Jobs believed Xerox was wasting its potential with the GUI.

Apple's Improvements

• Xerox's GUI was complex, e.g., a three-button mouse costing $300.
• Jobs simplified it to a single-button mouse costing $15.
• Apple introduced drag-and-drop functionality, unlike Xerox's menu-driven commands.
• Aesthetic attention: Apple used rounded rectangles for a more polished look.

Overlapping Windows

• Xerox’s GUI couldn’t handle overlapping windows.
• Apple’s Bill Atkinson managed to code overlapping windows, enhancing usability.

Release of the Macintosh

• In 1984, Apple launched the Macintosh with an integrated GUI.
• Despite its revolutionary design, it was costly to produce.
• The Macintosh's interface was intuitive and did not require a user manual.

Microsoft and GUI

• Microsoft created software for Macintosh but later developed Windows, reflecting Xerox’s GUI.
• Bill Gates and Steve Jobs had disputes over GUI similarities.
• Microsoft Windows evolved to resemble Apple’s GUI.
• Legal battles ensued over GUI similarities and lasted years.

Conclusion

• The digital revolution culminated in user-friendly, personal computers.
• Both Apple and Microsoft contributed to the popularization of GUIs.
• GUIs are now integral to modern computing, providing easy and intuitive user experiences.