In 1981, Xerox launched the Xerox Star, an office computer that changed the course of modern computing.

The graphical user interface (GUI) with windows, menus, and icons was initially introduced by the Star system, which improved computer accessibility and user-friendliness. It eliminated the need for complicated command-line inputs by enabling users to interact with computers using simple point-and-click actions. The desktop metaphor offered by the Star, which allowed users to access files and programs as though they were real things, had a direct impact on later operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and the Apple Macintosh, laying the groundwork for modern personal computing.

The Star was innovative for its day, focusing on resource sharing and networking even before the GUI. The Star introduced a new level of collaborative working by enabling workstations in an office to connect, share files, and access shared resources like printers using Ethernet. It was one of the most influential computers in history, even though it was not a commercial success, due to its advances in GUI, networking, and document-centric design, which set the foundation for later operating systems.