Silicon Age

Xerox Star changed computing in 4 key ways

First, the Star introduced a revolutionary GUI that used icons, menus, and a mouse to interact with the computer. This made it much more intuitive and accessible to non-technical users.

Second, the Star’s GUI also incorporated What You See Is What You Get(WYSIWYG) editing, allowing users to see exactly how their documents would look before printing them. This was a major improvement over previous systems where users had to rely on codes or special commands to format their text.

Third, the Star was one of the first personal computers to be designed for networking, allowing users to share files, printers, and other resources across a network.

Finally, the Star’s inspired other companies.

Xerox Star & Modern Computing

Xerox Star, laid the groundwork for modern computing. Xerox was highly advanced for the technology of its time, being the first computer to incorporate GUI. With this, the development of visual and interaction design emerged as a result, using icons and symbols to convey particular functions. This captivated the attention of tech’s biggest pave makers including, Steve Jobs, founder of Apple. He foresaw Xerox’s ability to become a personal asset, a potential integration to people’s daily lives. This changed the use case of computers. Once where computers were intended for number crunching and scientific research, gradually morphed into a platform to create, design, and complete everyday tasks. Though Xerox Star was financially inaccessible for most people at the time, the foundations of Xerox developed into an everyday necessity for millions through Apple’s direction. Yes, Apple products have also been consistent with its high prices, though it is important to acknowledge that the digital zeitgeist has shifted, the need for computers and technology has become essential. Apple has actually made computers “Affordable” compared to Xerox’s original price of $16,000, a factor of its commercial failure. Though what I found most interesting about Xerox is how a handful of our current tech leaders emerged out of Xerox and have used their knowledge to create the multifaceted tech industry that exists today. Essentially, Xerox built the tech industry and it is important to note that Xerox Star was not only a groundbreaking innovation for computing, it was a life altering invention that has moved us towards a tech reliant society.

Xerox Star change the Direction of Computing

The Xerox Star, introduced in 1981 by Xerox PARC, revolutionised computing with concepts that became the blueprint for modern systems. Although it wasn’t commercially successful, it had a profound impact on personal computing through its introduction of the Graphical User Interface (GUI).

Before the Star, computers relied heavily on text-based commands, making them inaccessible to many users. The Star’s GUI, which included windows, icons, and menus, transformed computing by allowing users to interact with the system visually and intuitively. This innovation directly influenced the development of the GUI in both Apple’s Macintosh and Microsoft Windows, setting a new standard for ease of use.

Another key contribution was the Star’s implementation of WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). This concept allowed users to see on the screen a close approximation of what would appear in print, making it easier to format documents. This breakthrough laid the foundation for modern word processing and desktop publishing, paving the way for software like Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign.

The Star also introduced early concepts of networking and collaboration. It was designed to work seamlessly within a networked environment, allowing users to share files, access resources, and print documents remotely. This foresight foreshadowed the rise of interconnected systems and the internet.

Although the Xerox Star’s high cost and limited marketing led to poor sales, its impact on computing was far-reaching. It set the groundwork for user-centric design and usability, shaping how future personal computers would operate. The Star’s true legacy lies not in its sales, but in the way its groundbreaking ideas defined the direction of computing for decades to come.

Mother of all Demos

Douglas Engelbart’s 1968 demo, known as “The Mother of All Demos,” was a huge moment in computing history. He introduced key technologies like the mouse, hypertext, and early versions of windows—all things we use daily now. He even showed video conferencing and real-time collaboration, way ahead of its time. This demo shaped how we think about interacting with computers and paved the way for personal computing and the internet. It’s one of the reasons modern UX and interaction design exist today.

Reading Response – Xerox Star

Yujie Yin (KY)

IxD History

2024 10 08

Professor Erin

Xerox Star was the first commercial product with an icon user interface, and concepts like the desktop, folders, icons, and mouse that we are familiar with today were first introduced. And many of these icons and concepts can still be seen today. This graphical interface allows users to interact with the computer more intuitively without having to type complex commands. Their design philosophy is very user-oriented, pioneering a user-centered design direction, marking the birth of the field of interactive design.

How did the Xerox Star change the direction of computing?

The Xerox Star was a game changer in the history of computing. It was the first system to use a graphical user interface, with ICONS, Windows, and folders that we now take for granted. It also introduced the WYSIWYG method, allowing users to see what will be printed on the screen. Star makes computing more visual and intuitive, moving from a command line interface to a point-and-click experience. This interface design transforms computing from text-based commands to a more intuitive visual interaction that gives non-expert users access to the computer.

And its design has greatly influenced future systems like the Mac and Windows, shaping the way we interact with computers today. And I think Xerox Star’s emphasis on user-centered design changed the direction of computing by making complex systems available for everyday tasks, influencing the development of user-friendly software and operating systems that dominate today.

Xerox Star

The Xerox Star, introduced in 1981, it revolutionized the way people interacted with computers by popularizing the graphical user interface. Before its release, most computers required users to input complex text commands, which limited accessibility to those with technical expertise. The Xerox Star changed that by introducing icons, windows, and a mouse-driven interface, which allowing users to interact with computers in a much more visual and intuitive way. This shift toward user-friendly design laid the groundwork for later systems like Apple’s Macintosh and Microsoft Windows, which adopted similar interfaces and brought personal computing to the masses.

I think that the Xerox Star tells me that innovation isn’t just about creating new technology but also about making it more accessible to users. By focusing on how people naturally interact with tools and environments, the Xerox Star pioneered a user-centered approach to design that continues to influence technology today. Even though the Star itself wasn’t commercially successful, it highlights the importance of designing with the end user in mind and how that can shape the future of an industry. Xerox Star shows that successful design isn’t only about immediate success but about laying the foundation for long-term change and also again proves that people/users is always the key in design.

How big was the impact of Xerox Star?

The Xerox Star revolutionized computing by introducing key concepts that are the foundation of the modern graphical user interface (GUI).


It was the first commercial system to use a fully developed GUI with icons, windows, and a desktop metaphor, making computers more intuitive, especially for non-technical users.


The desktop metaphor allowed users to visualize files, folders, and documents as physical objects, a concept that continues to shape modern interfaces. It also pioneered WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editing, enabling users to see on screen exactly what would appear when printed, paving the way for the modern word processor.


The Star’s use of icons, menus, and overlapping windows made multitasking possible, influencing later systems such as Apple’s Macintosh and Microsoft Windows. In addition, it had networking capabilities with Ethernet support, allowing file and printer sharing across networks, which laid the foundation for future networked personal computing.


Although not a commercial success, the design principles of the Xerox Star profoundly influenced the direction of personal computing.

shuoning Liang/10/8

Xerox Star and its impact on computing

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.

How the Xerox Star Changed the Direction of Computing (With a Minesweeper qwq)

Have you ever stopped to think about how your computer looks and operates when you sit down at it today? That answer goes back to one of the very first personal computers: the Xerox Star. Certainly not a commercial hit, this computer held out visionary concepts with regard to our long term engagement using technology and tools. In the early 1980s, how the Xerox Star showed us where computing could go.

Until the Xerox Star, computers were strictly text based and users were required to type commands. The Xerox Star implemented a graphical interface where users could communicate with icons, windows, and menus (like modern-day operating systems of Apple macOS or Windows).

Meaning that was the first time we all had the desktop metaphor. It similarly allowed users to see their documents for the first time as visuals on a ‘desktop’, crammed with files, folders and trash bins. This design created an accessible interface, which was easier for the everyday user to understand.

Another innovation of the Xerox Star was the WYSIWYG approach. What you saw on the screen closely resembled what would appear in print, transforming the way people created and formatted documents. This idea became the foundation for modern word processors and office software like Microsoft Word.

Although the Xerox Star was not a commercial hit, its ideas greatly influenced future tech giants. The whole way we use computers was changed by the graphical user interface in a way that Apple’s Macintosh and Microsoft Windows built and authorities followed, it became available on every platform.

The user experience received a significant boost through the innovations of the Xerox Star which ultimately opened the door to more enjoyable and interactive computing interactions. It persists even in something as banal as Minesweeper and the point-and-click interface that was introduced via the Xerox Star. So, let’s take a break from the history of computing with a little game I recently played — Minesweeper.  Below is a Minesweeper game I finished developed. Go give it a shot too and see if you can beat my time if you are up for a challenge.

The Xerox Star has left its mark on our world from revolutionary user interface designs, to even shaping the course of modern operating systems. I think we can see even in the Minesweeper, and other simple games, how those initial ideas have been carried down through to this day. So the next time you open a file or layer up your favorite game, perhaps pause for a moment to think how far computing has come — partly driven by Xerox Star.

Here is the game 🙂

Since I don’t know how to add a html&js code here. I paste a p5.js link here which you can access:)

https://editor.p5js.org/RaynorDing/sketches/8z7Skl5C-

Importance of the Xerox Star

The Xerox Star was the first commercial personal computer, and it used technologies that are still prevalent today. It was designed to be intuitive and easy to use for people that were not computer experts. The Xerox Star used icons and folders to make it more intuitive, and this is still done today with modern computers. Everything in the computer system and everything the computer was doing would be shown on the screen. This allowed the user to visualize what they’re doing, making the Xerox Star easier to use. The Xerox Star also used a mouse with two buttons, which we obviously still use nowadays.

The Xerox Star opened the door for user interface design, interaction design, and other roles that hadn’t existed previously. Despite not being commercially successful, the Xerox Star inspired Apple’s later technologies and influenced technology today.

How did the Xerox Star change the direction of computing?

Xerox Star 8010

The Xerox Star, released in 1981, was a groundbreaking system that significantly influenced the direction of personal computing. Developed at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), it introduced many concepts that are now standard in modern computing.

For interaction design, the most obvious point is that it first showcased a relatively complete Graphical User Interface, Called GUI to the public in the business field. This technology is not unfamiliar to people today, simply put, it is “what you see is what you get”. This means that the screen display matches the printed output, and people can intuitively click and interact with the computer. The use of icons to represent files, programs, and functions simplifies the computing experience and inspires future systems to focus on visual metaphors rather than text-based commands.


At the same time, the mouse has once again been mentioned in computer systems, which is a second and more flexible input device different from the keyboard.


It can be said that this product directly affects the future production of Macintosh by Apple and the Windows operating system by Microsoft. Steve Jobs visited the famous Xerox PARC, where many of Star’s ideas were integrated into the first-generation Macintosh, helping to bring GUI-based computing to the public.

Apple Macintosh

Microsoft Windows 1.0

The Xerox Star: Pioneering User Interfaces and Network Collaboration

The Xerox Star’s network function is critical to the development of modern computer networks! It was an early computer that supported network functions. It introduced the concept of computer network connectivity, enabling resource sharing and collaborative work. It laid the foundation for the concept of a modern computer network office and allowed us to see the powerful potential of multiple computer interconnections. Its network function also inspired later computer manufacturers and developers to continue to explore and improve network technology. At that time, many computers were running independently. The Xerox Star was like a beacon, illuminating the way for the development of computer networks and providing important concepts and technical inspiration for modern efficient, convenient, and interconnected computer network systems.

The Xerox Star changed the direction of computing in two ways

1. User interface innovations:
The Xerox Star uses a cool new interface with windows, icons, menus, and a mouse. This eliminates the need to remember a bunch of complicated commands and allows you to just click on icons and drag windows. This is especially useful for people who don’t understand technology because they no longer have to worry about complicated command lines. This new interface makes computers easier to use, not just for technical people but for everyone. In the past, many people found computers difficult to use, but now with a mouse, everyone can use them.

2. Networking and collaboration:
It was one of the earliest computers that could be connected to the Internet, allowing several people to share files, printers, and other things, making it easier for everyone to work together in the office. With this function, it is like using computers today to work on projects together in different places. The Xerox Star was a good start, making computer networking and teamwork more and more common.

Revolution and Forethought Make Douglas Engelbart And The Team Important

First, Douglas Engelbart and the team brings pioneering user interface, such as mouse, GUI and hypertext. They are all incredible revolution.

Second, Douglas Engelbart and the team show how laptop could use for online communication and cooperation. Which is huge forethought and give all researchers more motivation and purpose.

The importance of Douglas Engelbart and the team at SRI

The importance of Douglas Engelbart and the team at SRI is very significant, Douglas is given the name “The mother of all demos”. In that time people are lack of design and ideas, with the mother of all demos, he can generate ideas from his mind and do designs that move the technology progress.

Douglas invented the mouse, which is a great invention that let human and computer interact more deeply. it is considered to be a revolutionary evolution that influenced and pushed future technology development.

Douglas shape the future of personal computing and the way humans interact with computers. He found many concept and create inventions that still influence now the way people interact with computer and technology.

Douglas Engelbart’s Demo and its importance

Douglas Engelbart and his team’s demonstration at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in 1968 was a game-changer in the world of computing and how we interact with computers. This event marked the first time we saw practical uses of concepts like the graphical user interface (GUI), hypertext, and real-time collaboration. Engelbart introduced the “oN-Line System” (NLS), which included tools such as the mouse, text editing features, and the ability to link documents together through hypertext. These innovations moved us away from traditional command-line interfaces, making computers much easier to use for everyone. By emphasizing the importance of enhancing human abilities and teamwork, Douglas set the foundation for the modern computing environment we rely on today.

Douglas Engelbart and his groundbreaking demo show

Douglas Engelbart’s demo was a groundbreaking moment in the history of computing and interaction design. It introduced some key technologies and concepts that are fundamental to how we interact with computers today. The ‘mouse’ he demonstrate, looks just like the mouse we have today, that was definitely revolutionary in human-computer interaction, as he break punch cards and command-line interfaces to a more graphical and user-friendly method.

Another thing worth to mention is the word processing and management demo. Included the ways to edit and organize text, which later influence the development of word processors and modern document management systems.

Douglas Engelbart & SRI Importance

Douglas Englebart’s demo of the computer marked a transcendent pivot for modern technology. His demonstration showed the early beginnings and capabilities of human computer interactions. The features that he demonstrated, including word editing, GUI, and hypertext are still embedded and advancing in digital interfaces today. Viewers who had the opportunity to witness his demo in real time encountered some of the early sparks of the Technological Renaissance. With collaboration with SRI, his then, abstract and outlandish concepts translated into tangible, working systems. As a designer and tech enthusiast, it is fascinating to see the continuous progression of technology and the milestones that made intelligent computing possible. 

The FIRST Interaction Display

Have you seen the Douglas Engelbart’s demo in 1968, which often referred as “The Mother of All Demos”. It was shocking at that period of time, Engelbert and his team at Stanford Research Institute shown their first made demo made by a screen display that attach to the main computer behind the stage, and a mouse, very unique one, which has three action trigger and lead to different actions, for example, clicks, group and cancel click. The third part is an touch pad, has multiple pads that can do something cool like copy and paste, which at that period of time, it is profound because no one will think that the new technology computer can do something like work and type, and even store files that provide a change for personal use.

To me, the first time people think of interaction with a complex machine, that basically is an extension of human brain, we tend to forget things we know, so that we really need a base to collecting the datas and put them in to a permanent storages that we can pull out later. Also, people want them to be organized and clearly to see, not doodling, but with high fidelity. So that people will not mass up in the future. As well, people need to delete documents that is expired and the first demo from Douglas Engelbart’s team can definitely do that, it pave the foundation for future computers, the modernized personal laptops.

Another significant contribution from the demo was the introduction of early Graphical User Interface (GUI) concepts. Because people are not even on the stage that thinking about design in computer use, it was formed with functional base instead of beauty, however, if this need to be use daily and personally, the requirement of prettiness need to put in the list. People want to do real time collaboration though the interaction design are also available. To sum up, all of these features are totally forward-looking at that time as well as now.

The Birth of Modern Computing: A Look Back at Douglas Engelbart’s Revolutionary 1968 Demo

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In 1968, Douglas Engelbart and his team at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) delivered the “Mother of All Demos,” which has since become legendary. This 90-minute demonstration showcased technology that fundamentally altered computing. Engelbart’s demonstration was more than merely significant; it signaled the beginning of interactive computing as we know it today.

What Made the Demo Revolutionary?

Engelbart’s vision stood in stark contrast to the days when computers were largely utilized for number crunching and batch processing. His demonstration included pioneering innovations such as the computer mouse, hypertext, Windows-based interfaces, and collaborative editing. These concepts would form the backbone of personal computing, influencing how we interact with computers on a daily basis.

    The Legacy of the Demo

    Many of Engelbart’s innovations were not extensively adopted until decades later, but his ideas had a significant impact on the development of personal computing. Engelbart’s demo inspired the development of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) by Apple and Microsoft, as well as the hyperlink structure of the internet and real-time digital collaboration.
    Engelbart and his colleagues not only predicted but also molded the future of computing by daring to conceive computers as tools to boost human intellect and collaboration.
    The “Mother of All Demos” is a testimony to mid-century invention, and its legacy can still be felt in every device and application we use today.