UI Overview: 1 The GUI

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Ever since the first text-based computer application was created, computer users have looked for easier, more intuitive interfaces to their programs. If the user has to struggle to remember commands or to find the right function, the program is of very little use to him. Thus, the user interface of a program, the program's look and feel, can often be as important as its feature set.

The graphical user interface (GUI) concept has prompted millions of people to begin using computers and has made computer use for millions of others easier. Many corporations and school systems even make GUI a requirement for all their computer acquisitions.

GUIs, however, are not without problems. With so many hundreds of different programs available, even well-designed interfaces can differ significantly from other well-defined interfaces. Although users no longer have to remember whether the "print" command is Ctrl-Alt-P or F4, they may have to search through dozens of menus just to find it. To solve this consistency problem, different manufacturers have created GUI specifications that detail menu structure, color schemes, input management, and many other aspects of the GUI.

GEOS takes this one step further with its Generic User Interface. Application programmers do not have to decide beforehand which GUI specification will be run by their program; nor do they have to write one version for each GUI supported. Instead, they define their generic UI needs and then let GEOS determine the manifestation of those needs at run-time.

Another problem with GUIs is their speed. Without powerful hardware, many GUI-based systems are sluggish because of high overhead associated with geometry management and drawing. GEOS, however, is extremely fast because it is entirely object-oriented and is programmed in assembly language. And, since most of the user interface is managed and drawn by GEOS, applications written for the system automatically take advantage of this speed.

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