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Even the biggest fanatics of the black console box won’t hold it against me if I say that in the respect of interacting with the computer, the future belongs to the GUI. And along comes the question: how will the desktop environments of the future look like? To envision them, we’re going to take a look at the interfaces available today, at typical and non-typical solutions given us by their creators, which finally will lead us to the question: is this still about the improvement of the comfort of work or something else?
***"While looking at modern operating systems, like: Ubuntu, Windows or Mac OS X..."****
Ubuntu is a distro, not an OS -- Gnu/Linux is the OS of Ubuntu.
***"... it's difficult to believe that the GUI is a pretty old idea. Presumably it was invented in the PARC laboratories of Xerox..."****
That conclusion would definitely be presumptuous and inaccurate. Xerox definitely developed most of the components of the modern GUI, but Xerox didn't invent the GUI. Most of the credit for inventing the GUI should go to Ivan Sutherland (1962), Douglas Engelbart (1964) and Alan Kay (1969): http://design.osu.edu/carlson/history/lesson16b.html
There is some sparsely documented GUI work by others in the 1960s.
***"... in the seventies of the previous century, that is in the times, when personal computers were created."****
***"Actually we owe to Xerox a lot more. Except the mentioned GUI, there are also: the computer mouse,... and a massive overall contribution in creating the personal computer."****
As shown above: Xerox didn't invent the GUI; Douglas Engelbart invented the computer mouse; and the personal computer appeared by 1960, more than a decade before Xerox started making personal computers.
But, again, Xerox did invent/develop most of the elements found in modern GUIs.
***"Apple Inc. was the first to introduce and fix the Graphical User Interface for a personal computer sold in stores."****
***"This epoch-making interface was the Apple Lisa and... it had some elements, which can be seen in today's Mac OS X desktops."****
The only GUI elements in Lisa invented by Apple are the wastebasket and the menu-bar that always appear on the screen's edge. Both of these elements have questionable GUI value -- many of today's GUI users don't use trashcans, and most use a menu-bar that is always attached to a window's frame.
***"The goal of ergonomics is to make the interaction of humans with machines as smooth as possible, enhancing performance, reducing error, and increasing user satisfaction through comfort and aesthetics."****
Ergonomics does not really have much to do with aesthetics. Ergonomics is a science concerned with making products and interfaces work well with the most people.
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Ubuntu is a distro, not an OS -- Gnu/Linux is the OS of Ubuntu.
***"... it's difficult to believe that the GUI is a pretty old idea. Presumably it was invented in the PARC laboratories of Xerox..."****
That conclusion would definitely be presumptuous and inaccurate. Xerox definitely developed most of the components of the modern GUI, but Xerox didn't invent the GUI. Most of the credit for inventing the GUI should go to Ivan Sutherland (1962), Douglas Engelbart (1964) and Alan Kay (1969): http://design.osu.edu/carlson/history/lesson16b.html
There is some sparsely documented GUI work by others in the 1960s.
***"... in the seventies of the previous century, that is in the times, when personal computers were created."****
No. Personal computers appeared by 1960, with the Heathkit EC-1: http://www.oldcomputermuseum.com/heathkit_ec1.html
***"Actually we owe to Xerox a lot more. Except the mentioned GUI, there are also: the computer mouse,... and a massive overall contribution in creating the personal computer."****
As shown above: Xerox didn't invent the GUI; Douglas Engelbart invented the computer mouse; and the personal computer appeared by 1960, more than a decade before Xerox started making personal computers.
But, again, Xerox did invent/develop most of the elements found in modern GUIs.
***"Apple Inc. was the first to introduce and fix the Graphical User Interface for a personal computer sold in stores."****
Not really. The Three Rivers Perq was first offered for sale in 1979 (four years before the Apple Lisa): http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~pmaydell/PERQ/index.html
Also. Xerox started selling the Star in 1981: http://toastytech.com/guis/star.html
***"This epoch-making interface was the Apple Lisa and... it had some elements, which can be seen in today's Mac OS X desktops."****
The only GUI elements in Lisa invented by Apple are the wastebasket and the menu-bar that always appear on the screen's edge. Both of these elements have questionable GUI value -- many of today's GUI users don't use trashcans, and most use a menu-bar that is always attached to a window's frame.
***"The goal of ergonomics is to make the interaction of humans with machines as smooth as possible, enhancing performance, reducing error, and increasing user satisfaction through comfort and aesthetics."****
Ergonomics does not really have much to do with aesthetics. Ergonomics is a science concerned with making products and interfaces work well with the most people.