598:, and non-spatial file browsing. A shortcut (a link to a file that acts as a redirecting proxy, not the actual file) and hypertext have no real-world equivalent. Non-spatial file browsing, as well, may confuse novice users, as they can often have more than one window representing the same folder open at the same time, something that is impossible in reality. These and other departures from real-world equivalents are violations of the pure paper paradigm.
523:
125:
63:
22:
508:
243:
545:
used by most modern computers and operating systems. The paper paradigm consists of, usually, black text on a white background, files within folders, and a "desktop". The paper paradigm was created by many individuals and organisations, such as
589:
this icon. One is not a "representation of" or an "interface to" the other. Such relationships were foreign to most people, and constituted unnecessary mental baggage when there was a much more simple and direct connection to what they knew of
558:, and was an attempt to make computers more user-friendly by making them resemble the common workplace of the time (with papers, folders, and a desktop). It was first presented to the public by Engelbart in 1968, in what is now referred to as "
353:
in 1970 and elaborated in a series of innovative software applications developed by PARC scientists throughout the ensuing decade. The first computer to use an early version of the desktop metaphor was the experimental
465:
representing the computer itself. By comparison, the Mac OS places all drives on the desktop itself by default, while in
Windows the user can access the drives through an icon labelled "Computer".
483:) were utilities, directories were drawers, etc. Icons of objects were animated and the directories are shown as drawers which were represented as either open or closed. As in the
461:
observed the desktop metaphor more strictly than many other systems. For example, external hard drives appeared on the 'desktop', while internal ones were accessed clicking on an
581:
that went something like this: "This icon represents your file on disk." But to the surprise of many, users very quickly discarded any semblance of indirection. This icon
499:
would appear on the desktop when the disk was inserted into the drive, as it was a virtual counterpart of a physical floppy disk or CD-ROM on the surface of a workbench.
333:
have no direct counterpart on a real-world desktop, though this may vary by environment and the function provided; for instance, a familiar
667:
594:
Since then, many aspects of computers have wandered away from the paper paradigm by implementing features such as "shortcuts" to files,
189:
161:
168:
841:
831:
226:
208:
142:
106:
49:
35:
88:
175:
317:. Hence one can find trash cans on the desktop, as well as disks and network volumes (which can be thought of as
396:
sketch of a desktop, complete with telephone, drawers, calculator, etc. The user made their choices by moving a
846:
408:. Onscreen options were chosen by pushing the fire button on the joystick. The Magic Desk I program featured a
146:
73:
719:
157:
851:
427:
The first computer to popularise the desktop metaphor, using it as a standard feature over the earlier
397:
471:
terminology for its desktop metaphor was taken directly from workshop jargon. The desktop was called
350:
337:
can sometimes be displayed or otherwise accessed via a taskbar or menu bar belonging to the desktop.
366:
to contain related information predates the desktop metaphor, with a primitive version appearing in
836:
705:
435:
in 1984. The desktop metaphor is ubiquitous in modern-day personal computing; it is found in most
271:
559:
298:, which represents a paper copy of the document placed on the desktop. Small applications called
135:
84:
701:
675:
428:
182:
637:
334:
41:
412:
graphically emulated complete with audio effects. Other applications included a calculator,
305:
The desktop metaphor itself has been extended and stretched with various implementations of
80:
8:
607:
472:
436:
371:
306:
247:
758:
733:
816:
796:
622:
617:
295:
267:
274:
to help users interact more easily with the computer. The desktop metaphor treats the
547:
440:
421:
417:
367:
697:
647:
627:
578:
462:
275:
642:
570:
526:
432:
358:, and the first commercial computer that adopted this kind of interface was the
313:
of the computer are usually more important than maintaining the 'purity' of the
555:
484:
393:
363:
318:
299:
825:
515:
389:
381:
One of the first desktop-like interfaces on the market was a program called
612:
405:
386:
279:
251:
507:
492:
291:
782:
632:
551:
511:
409:
382:
359:
355:
595:
452:
375:
310:
259:
522:
124:
91:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
542:
401:
346:
326:
314:
287:
480:
413:
330:
374:", though it was incorporated by PARC in the environment of the
698:"Room with a view (RWAV): A metaphor for interactive computing"
530:
496:
302:
are also available, such as a desk calculator or notepad, etc.
242:
488:
476:
468:
448:
444:
420:. Files could be archived into the drawers of the desktop. A
533:
showing the desktop, application menu, and About MATE window
294:
of documents can be placed. A document can be opened into a
458:
239:
Concept used on desktop computer graphical user interfaces
574:
149:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
823:
817:ArsTechnica article on the spatial Mac OS Finder
660:
577:before inevitably included an explanation of
345:The desktop metaphor was first introduced by
400:depicting a hand pointing by using the same
270:which is a set of unifying concepts used by
750:
725:
695:
569:Back in 1984, explanations of the original
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
392:in 1983, a very primitive GUI presented a
227:Learn how and when to remove this message
209:Learn how and when to remove this message
107:Learn how and when to remove this message
573:interface to users who had never seen a
521:
506:
241:
722:Xerox, Palo Alto Research Center, 1979.
653:
824:
756:
731:
147:adding citations to reliable sources
118:
56:
15:
325:a desktop). Other features such as
13:
696:Koved, Larry; Selker, Ted (1999).
278:as if it is the top of the user's
14:
863:
810:
700:. IBM TJ Watson Research Center.
502:
31:This article has multiple issues.
385:I. Built as a cartridge for the
349:, David C. Smith, and others at
123:
61:
20:
759:"A History of the GUI (Part 3)"
734:"A History of the GUI (Part 2)"
309:, since access to features and
134:needs additional citations for
39:or discuss these issues on the
789:
775:
712:
689:
321:—not something normally found
1:
439:of modern operating systems:
718:Thacker, Charles P., et al.
246:The computer interface is a
7:
601:
514:showing an application and
404:the user may have used for
87:the claims made and adding
10:
868:
720:Alto: A personal computer.
340:
842:Graphical user interfaces
832:User interface techniques
272:graphical user interfaces
527:MATE desktop environment
757:Reimer, Jeremy (2005).
732:Reimer, Jeremy (2005).
560:The Mother of All Demos
491:desktop, an icon for a
475:, programs were called
592:
534:
519:
479:, small applications (
429:command-line interface
255:
847:Software architecture
797:"About the Finder..."
638:Tiling window manager
567:
525:
510:
245:
654:Notes and references
565:From John Siracusa:
437:desktop environments
307:desktop environments
143:improve this article
608:Desktop environment
372:Mother of All Demos
248:conceptual metaphor
668:"Desktop Metaphor"
623:Interface metaphor
618:History of the GUI
535:
520:
424:was also present.
268:interface metaphor
256:
158:"Desktop metaphor"
72:possibly contains
852:Metaphors by type
672:www.csdl.tamu.edu
585:my file. My file
548:Douglas Engelbart
418:terminal emulator
416:organiser, and a
368:Douglas Engelbart
237:
236:
229:
219:
218:
211:
193:
117:
116:
109:
74:original research
54:
859:
804:
803:
793:
787:
786:
783:"Realworld Desk"
779:
773:
772:
770:
769:
754:
748:
747:
745:
744:
729:
723:
716:
710:
709:
693:
687:
686:
684:
683:
674:. Archived from
664:
648:WIMP (computing)
628:Operating system
300:desk accessories
276:computer monitor
264:desktop metaphor
232:
225:
214:
207:
203:
200:
194:
192:
151:
127:
119:
112:
105:
101:
98:
92:
89:inline citations
65:
64:
57:
46:
24:
23:
16:
867:
866:
862:
861:
860:
858:
857:
856:
837:User interfaces
822:
821:
813:
808:
807:
800:arstechnica.com
795:
794:
790:
781:
780:
776:
767:
765:
755:
751:
742:
740:
730:
726:
717:
713:
694:
690:
681:
679:
666:
665:
661:
656:
643:Virtual desktop
604:
505:
433:Apple Macintosh
364:window controls
343:
319:filing cabinets
240:
233:
222:
221:
220:
215:
204:
198:
195:
152:
150:
140:
128:
113:
102:
96:
93:
78:
66:
62:
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
865:
855:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
820:
819:
812:
811:External links
809:
806:
805:
788:
774:
749:
724:
711:
706:10.1.1.22.1340
688:
658:
657:
655:
652:
651:
650:
645:
640:
635:
630:
625:
620:
615:
610:
603:
600:
556:Apple Computer
541:refers to the
539:paper paradigm
518:on the desktop
504:
503:Paper paradigm
501:
485:classic Mac OS
394:low resolution
342:
339:
238:
235:
234:
217:
216:
199:September 2010
131:
129:
122:
115:
114:
69:
67:
60:
55:
29:
28:
26:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
864:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
829:
827:
818:
815:
814:
801:
798:
792:
784:
778:
764:
760:
753:
739:
735:
728:
721:
715:
707:
703:
699:
692:
678:on 2001-02-22
677:
673:
669:
663:
659:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
636:
634:
631:
629:
626:
624:
621:
619:
616:
614:
611:
609:
606:
605:
599:
597:
591:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
566:
563:
561:
557:
553:
549:
544:
540:
532:
528:
524:
517:
513:
509:
500:
498:
494:
490:
486:
482:
478:
474:
470:
466:
464:
460:
456:
454:
450:
446:
442:
438:
434:
430:
425:
423:
419:
415:
411:
407:
403:
399:
395:
391:
390:home computer
388:
384:
379:
377:
373:
369:
365:
362:. The use of
361:
357:
352:
348:
338:
336:
335:wall calendar
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
312:
308:
303:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
282:, upon which
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
261:
253:
249:
244:
231:
228:
213:
210:
202:
191:
188:
184:
181:
177:
174:
170:
167:
163:
160: –
159:
155:
154:Find sources:
148:
144:
138:
137:
132:This article
130:
126:
121:
120:
111:
108:
100:
90:
86:
82:
76:
75:
70:This article
68:
59:
58:
53:
51:
44:
43:
38:
37:
32:
27:
18:
17:
799:
791:
777:
766:. Retrieved
763:Ars Technica
762:
752:
741:. Retrieved
738:Ars Technica
737:
727:
714:
691:
680:. Retrieved
676:the original
671:
662:
613:File browser
593:
586:
582:
568:
564:
538:
536:
467:
457:
451:, and other
426:
406:video gaming
387:Commodore 64
380:
344:
322:
304:
283:
263:
257:
252:writing desk
223:
205:
196:
186:
179:
172:
165:
153:
141:Please help
136:verification
133:
103:
94:
71:
47:
40:
34:
33:Please help
30:
529:running on
493:floppy disk
443:as well as
826:Categories
768:2009-09-14
743:2009-09-14
682:2011-06-09
633:Skeuomorph
552:Xerox PARC
512:Xerox Star
410:typewriter
383:Magic Desk
378:language.
360:Xerox Star
356:Xerox Alto
351:Xerox PARC
169:newspapers
97:March 2009
81:improve it
36:improve it
596:hypertext
473:Workbench
455:systems.
453:Unix-like
376:Smalltalk
327:menu bars
311:usability
288:documents
260:computing
85:verifying
42:talk page
702:CiteSeer
602:See also
590:reality.
543:paradigm
431:was the
422:trashcan
402:joystick
347:Alan Kay
331:taskbars
315:metaphor
286:such as
802:. 2003.
704::
481:applets
441:Windows
414:rolodex
341:History
292:folders
284:objects
183:scholar
79:Please
554:, and
531:Debian
497:CD-ROM
398:sprite
296:window
266:is an
262:, the
185:
178:
171:
164:
156:
579:icons
516:icons
489:macOS
477:tools
469:Amiga
449:Linux
445:macOS
250:of a
190:JSTOR
176:books
537:The
487:and
463:icon
459:BeOS
370:'s "
290:and
280:desk
162:news
575:GUI
571:Mac
562:".
495:or
329:or
258:In
145:by
83:by
828::
761:.
736:.
670:.
587:is
583:is
550:,
447:,
323:on
45:.
785:.
771:.
746:.
708:.
685:.
254:.
230:)
224:(
212:)
206:(
201:)
197:(
187:·
180:·
173:·
166:·
139:.
110:)
104:(
99:)
95:(
77:.
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
