When comparing the graphical interfaces of Xerox Star and original Macintosh to that of modern day, it is easy to contrast the aesthetic elements. What was more notable to me was that the basic framework of the Desktop remained more or less a fixed constant, as the aesthetic design and the general computing capabilities evolved with the advancement of technology. Of the various commands our computers are capable of performing, there are several that are so fundamental to interactions with the interface that they are often overlooked.
In the Xerox STAR, move is described as “most powerful command in the system” (4:00), accomplished by selecting an item and pressing the physical “move” key. This control has changed to a click and drag control, leveraging the corresponding movement of the cursor and mouse. This action feels more intuitive because it closely resembles picking up an object, and dropping it in a new location. The mouse serves to select items for commands to be performed – similar to clicking into text box to input text. However, the keyboard is the singular control for commands, whereas modern day users may utilize the mouse to select commands for the system to perform. For example, right clicking would reveal a pre-set menu with commands such as cut, copy, and paste. The user may then click to select the intended command.
The copy function in the case of Xerox STAR and the original Macintosh OS was the sole method of creating a new document. In the case of Xerox STAR, this was intended to simulate the experience of tearing a sheet of paper from a notepad. This has changed in modern technology, wherein the user may produce a new document without an existing document to act as a “source”.
One aspect of the original Mac OS interface that I found most interesting was the Control Panel, as it is actually a panel! It resembles a series of controls presented in a single panel, whereas today’s Control Panel is a collection of icons to access settings. The naming convention of “control panel” and “desktop” seems significant, as they serve as legacies to provide insight about their rudimentary forms, and the metaphors they were derived from.
