An Interactive Display for the 21st Century: Beyond the Desktop Metaphor
Abstract
Vannevar Bush's 1945 vision of a personal desk-sized machine (the memex) containing a massive library of information and powerful search and recall mechanisms remains an inspired view of a useful personal computer. By 1970 Alan Kay at Xerox Palo Alto (California) Research Center was proposing a dynamic book-sized computer, a dynabook, that would satisfy most of the needs of users of all ages. By 1973 a group of his colleagues had small desk-sized computer, the Alto, that was starting to satisfy Kay's vision. By the mid-1980's the Apple Macintosh, and similar machines, were having the same effect on users worldwide. Common to all these visions was the computer interaction mechanism consisting of a 2D computer display that appeared like styled version of the user's desktop: papers strewn about, ones on top obscuring ones below; various objects of interest, such as trash cans and clocks, serving their obvious and useful functions. The user moved objects about the screen and took them in and out of file folders by direct manipulation. In certain situations, the user could zoom in to certain papers for a closer look. This fine model for 2D applications and is properly on its way toward universal adoption. (KR)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA215016
Entities
People
- Henry Fuchs
Organizations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill