The Evolution of Desktops
1984 - 1986
January 1984: Macintosh System 1
April 1985: Macintosh System 2
November 1985: Microsoft Windows 1.0
November 1985: Microsoft Windows 1.0
January 1986: Macintosh System 3
1987 - 1989
March 1987: Macintosh System 4
1987: Macintosh System 5
December 1987: Microsoft Windows 2.0
December 1987: Microsoft Windows 2.0
April 1988: Macintosh System 6
1990 - 1994
May 1990: Microsoft Windows 3.0
May 1991: Macintosh System 7
August 1992: Microsoft Windows 3.1
August 1992: Macintosh System 7.1
1995 - 1997
March 1995: Macintosh System 7.5
August 1995: Microsoft Windows 95
July 1997: Mac OS 8
1998 - 1999
June 1998: Microsoft Windows 98
July 1998: KDE 1.0
October 1999: Macintosh System 9
2000 - 2001
October 2000: KDE 2.0
September 2001: Mac OS X 10.1
October 2001: Microsoft Windows XP
2002 - 2006/7
November 2005: KDE 3.5
Mac OS X 10.5
Microsoft Windows Vista
January 1984: Macintosh System 1
April 1985: Macintosh System 2
November 1985: Microsoft Windows 1.0
November 1985: Microsoft Windows 1.0
January 1986: Macintosh System 3
March 1987: Macintosh System 4
1987: Macintosh System 5
December 1987: Microsoft Windows 2.0
December 1987: Microsoft Windows 2.0
April 1988: Macintosh System 6
May 1990: Microsoft Windows 3.0
May 1991: Macintosh System 7
August 1992: Microsoft Windows 3.1
August 1992: Macintosh System 7.1
March 1995: Macintosh System 7.5
August 1995: Microsoft Windows 95
July 1997: Mac OS 8
June 1998: Microsoft Windows 98
July 1998: KDE 1.0
October 1999: Macintosh System 9
October 2000: KDE 2.0
September 2001: Mac OS X 10.1
October 2001: Microsoft Windows XP
November 2005: KDE 3.5
Mac OS X 10.5
Microsoft Windows Vista
Thanks for the memories!
ReplyDeleteI miss TOS/GEM personally :P
ReplyDeleteThat's not Mac System 5: it's GS/OS for the Apple IIgs, an entirely different beast.
ReplyDeleteyou missed windows 2k and windows NT
ReplyDeleteThat Mac System 5 shot looks a lot more like GS/OS - the OS for the Apple ][gs, which you could also add to the list since it went through 6 versions of it's own. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this wonderful collection.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to see some X-windows and Motif and/or Sun "Openview".
nice..I was born in 1980 and didn't get my first computer until 1998. so it is good to see such a nice reflection.
ReplyDeleteEh, most desktops are left out. What about AmigaOS, TOS, Geos?
ReplyDeleteOK I got me some popcorn, just gonna sit back and wait for the rabid Amiga fans to come whinging for missing out Workbench ;)
ReplyDeleteYou could have had some of the Xerox PARC stuff at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteYou miss GEM, which was an early desktop, as used by the Atari ST - Falcon, as well as running on PCs at the time.
AmigaOS should have been included because it was first to have many technologies.
RISCOS is another OS that could have been included, including Arthur, its precursor.
Why only KDE? Where's Gnome? How about CDE on Solaris? NextSTEP? GEOS?
And what about OS/2? It had stuff I still miss in Microsoft's shabby clone.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see a real desktop - preferable with oak veneer with and a few coffee stain rings here and there.
ReplyDeleteMake sure it's got Pen and Paper 1.0...
JB
you missed SunOS/Openwindows, IRIX, HPUX, Digital Unix, all the original X11's... the list goes on and on.
ReplyDeleteLOL!
ReplyDeletethey're all converging to one look!
It is interesting that there was a bit more distinction between OS 'personalities' then. Seems the natural counterpart to upgrade is homogeny.
ReplyDeletevery nice nostalgic trip down memory lane. It presents a pretty unglamorous early windows, but hey, it really was in its default state. Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the most innovative of all operating systems, Microsoft's BOB...lol!
ReplyDeleteIt appears your screenshot for System 7 is actually 7.5.x.
ReplyDeleteI had an LCIII back in the early 90s, and I remember gloating to the MS fans about how much better the Mac GUI was.... thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Where did you get that system 6 image form and do you have a disk imgae of it?
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get that system 6 image form and do you have a disk imgae of it?
ReplyDeleteAh, the memories. So old school... Takes me back in the day. My dad use to have Windows 3.1.
ReplyDeleteA perfect example of how something so simple has evolved to something much more complex... and don't forget about Dual Core...
Please add Gnome coz currently, Gnome has been equally popular with KDE and lots of people like it because of its simplicity. Also looks very different coz you see the Panel and the "Main Menu" on top
ReplyDeleteYou totally left out Amigas, which had a very modern and usable UI, capable of serious multimedia quite early on, especially in terms of responsiveness. I've never used it, but I hear that RiscOS is also worth serious consideration.
ReplyDeleteOn Vista... it's not out yet, and has no place here, unless you're also including screenshots of other unfinished designs, such as KDE 4.0, the next version of Mac OS, etc.
Finally, it might have been nice to see some of the rarer systems, like NeXT, DEC Alphas doing live video as you drag windows early on, BeOS, etc.
Where's our Miggy?
ReplyDeleteSeriously - it makes MacOS and Windows look dated when compared in the 80s.
People.. he didn't say it was an all-inclusive documentary. There's thousands of different GUI's out there, if you want to get technical about it. He's not getting paid to write this blog, so you can't EXPECT him to track down every OS in existence just for a stupid blog post. Christ.
ReplyDeleteYour general point was made with this post, anyway. Microsoft stole the idea for Windows from Mac, and then made more money with it.. and now everything's trying to look like everything else.
I don't understand how you could have an incomplete GUI history slashdotted. This is just a mislabled Mac vs PC Gallery.
ReplyDeleteThis site has a lot more complete history than your gallery does.
http://escience.anu.edu.au/lecture/cg/Import/GUI_Timeline/thumbalto.gif
whoops that last link was this
ReplyDeleteCool. I like the early screens. They really show how behind Microsoft was when compared to Apple.
ReplyDeleteAm I misremembering or is that screenshot of "System 6" actually System 7? I don't remember the help menu appearing until System 7.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Amiga's Workbench?
ReplyDelete:(
Missing OS/2 WPS.
ReplyDelete2009 called...
ReplyDelete...they want material for their OS nostalgia piece before Google owned it all.
Poster above is correct. The Mac "System 6" screen shot is actually System 7. v6 didn't have any color icons or menus, and the baloon help was a highly advertised feature of v7.
ReplyDeleteAs others have noted, where's GEM and Amiga Workbench? Both were widely used in their day (MUCH more so than Windows 1.0 or 2.0.) Also, where's BeOS? NextStep?
ReplyDeleteLeft out BeOS, NeXT, and Amiga GUI's
ReplyDeletenice work. But i miss OS/2 and Gnome as major GUI's. Maybe BeOS and Nextstep.
ReplyDeleteYour macintosh system 5 pic is actually Apple IIgs System 6. Oops!
ReplyDeleteWhere is Fluxbox ???
ReplyDeleteMuch too selective!
ReplyDeleteYou forgot X Windows before "KDE" which includes Motif and Athena and fvwm95, you forgot Gnome entirely. And you forgot FBUI, the Linux in-kernel windowing system.
Give the poor guys a break about Bob.
ReplyDeleteMicrosoft Bob is what got Microsoft Bill laid!
(he met his wife while she was working on that project)
Why not gnome?
ReplyDeletewhyn not amiga?
why not [put your favorite GUI here]?
Guys, why don't think about there are no screens of a 1981 amiga/sun/whatever available?
if you are a fanboy, do your gallery yourself and post the link.
awesome compilation!
ReplyDeleteThe screenshots could be bigger ;)
ReplyDeleteA revised version with all the DE mentioned by others would be fantastic.
> The screenshots could be bigger ;)
ReplyDeleteActually, in many cases, they could not. Lots of the older shots are posted in their native resolution, you're just looking at them on an overpowered monitor ;)
I agree that you cannot post all of people's favorite UI's.
ReplyDeleteWith Microsoft and Apple ones it's OK, but you included KDE, if you did that you should at least put GNOME, and possibly X-windows.
That's what I think, great post anyway.
WoW KDE was ahead of the game even when it first set its foot into the game
ReplyDeleteWhy don't all the people who whine about all the ones he's missed-out put together their own galleries and submit them? It could grow into something really interesting. And if you can't be bothered then don't post your pointless moans.
ReplyDeleteI miss Amiga Kickstart/Workbench and NeXTstep/OpenStep.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of other UI, but the one that brings the most and that I was expected to see is NeXTStep.
ReplyDeleteCould be in black and white in 1988 or in color in 1990. It bring so much and doesn't seem outdated like the Windows 2.x and System 6 of its time.
It would show what happen when you create a new operating system by choosing the best technology in each domain...
Missing X-window, XGL next big thing!
ReplyDeleteAnd you shouldn't forget the Lisa OS and 7/7
ReplyDeleteyou missed windows 2k and windows NT
ReplyDeleteI agree. Huge misses.
How can you find the Windows 1.0 screen, is it from an emulator?
ReplyDeleteAnd Geos,Tos,NextStep,BeOs,......AMIGA?!?!?!!?
ReplyDeleteVery nice, but do you remember de cde in sun os?... thats a nice memory...
ReplyDeleteNice work, but please do fix the "Mac System 5" screenshot to properly credit GS/OS. It is definitely GS/OS running on an Apple IIGS.
ReplyDeleteNice trip down Memory Lane...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...
Youshould also have put the old Amiga screenshots for comparison so we could see just exactly how far behind apple and microsoft were at the same time
ReplyDeletehmm... Good job, but your missing some other ones. But 2000, NT aren't very different from 95.
ReplyDeleteAh.. the good old days. Sad not to see OS/2 though.
ReplyDeleteImpressive. Although I must say that Windows always stands out as the ugliest of them all, and by that I even mean Vista. Vista looks like kde 1.0. But even uglier.
ReplyDeleteThis is not an evolution of Desktops and shouldn't be called such. This is an evolution of Macintosh and Windows desktops, with a couple of KDE screenshots thrown in, which obviously don't belong here.
ReplyDeleteIf you wanted to do an evolution of Desktops, you should have looked past the obvious. Missing are Apple Lisa, GEM, GEOS, AMIGA, XEROX PARK, Non-KDE X11 based Desktop systems, and NeXT, to name a few.
hah! microsoft was waay behind Mac.. then suddenly the Windows 95 jump happened!!
ReplyDeleteanyways... apple shud have sued ms long ago!
Microsoft rules!
i mean.. suck!!
To add to the "X-windows before KDE" comments, you forgot Enlightenment which used a bit of everything but still had features KDE and Gnome are struggling to emulate.
ReplyDeleteOf course on a 486sx25 back then it was gawdaweful slow...
Irix had a lot of innovations over the mac and windows. Toolchest, buttonfly and more. And the HP150 as one of the first heavily used touch screens (would you like fries with that?)
ReplyDeleteWhere's the Amiga? ;)
ReplyDelete(Apart from dead)
That is a good memory for all
ReplyDeleteUmm....you forgot about xfce.
ReplyDeleteit's interesting that between 2001 and 2005 the most changes happened in the linux desktop, then apple got revisions of OS X, and Microsoft has been postponing every year.
ReplyDelete(pd. I am an amiga fan, but i understand, this not my blog :)
it's interesting that between 2001 and 2005 the most changes happened in the linux desktop, then apple got revisions of OS X, and Microsoft has been postponing every year.
ReplyDelete(pd. I am an amiga fan, but i understand, this not my blog :)
good post, its great to see the gui progression.
ReplyDeleteIn the last two years, you could include screenshots of Ubuntu releases. That would give you a good Gnome comparison to the KDE/Mac/Win trio currently on display.
ReplyDeleteGnome? Add it to your awesome collection!
ReplyDeleteOne of the best GUI galleries by far is Marcin Wichary's GUIdebook: Graphical User Interface Gallery.
ReplyDeleteThis page has a very nice overview of three major GUIs (Mac/Win/KDE) but GUIdebook is far more comprenensive -- covers all manner of GUIs including EIKON, RISC OS, AmigaOS, CDE and GS/OS. And the rather bizarre Breadbox system.
And it's a lot more reliable :)
One of the best GUI galleries by far is Marcin Wichary's GUIdebook: Graphical User Interface Gallery.
ReplyDeleteThis page has a very nice overview of three major GUIs (Mac/Win/KDE) but GUIdebook is far more comprenensive -- covers all manner of GUIs including EIKON, RISC OS, AmigaOS, CDE and GS/OS. And the rather bizarre Breadbox system.
And it's a lot more reliable :)
I'm glad one of the first comments was about "1987: Macintosh System 5" actually being GS/OS. Which I loved. Good old GS. :-)
ReplyDeleteNice trip down memory lane, BUT, I would have added Amiga screenshots too. The Amiga was really only beat by stupid managment who didn't understand what they had.
ReplyDeleteAll Windows screenshots show the dull gray boring interface and all Mac screenshots show the funny things in life. Please show more _comparable_ screenshots, this looks like a Mac ad campaign :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is kinda weird - I'm only 19, and I remember using at least 1 OS from each timeframe (pretty much every one, in fact). Also, I must ask - where's the GNOME?
ReplyDeleteworkbench is where
ReplyDeleteThat isn't System5 for Mac as mentioned. System 6 did not have balloons and labels (both new for system7) so that one is wrong too. Don't know why 10.5 is included really.
ReplyDeleteI thought Windoze1 was TOS/GEM at first glance!
os/2?
ReplyDeleteGnome?
Enlightenment?
AmigaOS?
I miss all the NeXTSTEP / OPENSTEP stuff (OS X predecessor)
ReplyDeletewhat about OS/2 Warp? PC-DOS? DR-DOS? Gnome?...
ReplyDeleteSorry to burst your bubble, but the screenshot you posted of "Macintosh System 5" isn't really System 5...it's a different GUI designed for the Apple IIgs that just happens to look like MacOS.
ReplyDeletethe people that whine about missing screens are of course always welcome to create their own gallery, and then get it /.ed so that we fanboy fags can tell you everything you missed. otherwise, stfu and enjoy the historic trip down a past of thievery.
ReplyDeleteand r-101, good job, it's nice to talk a trip back to the future every once in a while.
although not "complete" .. nice compilation .. maybe someone could start a wiki for this and then it would be complete ..
ReplyDeleteOS/2, anyone?
ReplyDeleteIt's worth noting some of the things that OS/2 really brought to the desktop first [though many existed in various unices first], like the right-click context menu.
Great to see that mighty desktop of the ealry Macs. HP-UX and OS/2 notable omissions but hey! Well done. Thinking about getting my first Mac in 20 years. Would love to get a new iMac but with a System 2 look. Limited market but how funky running OS X with a monchrome flat icon GUI. Does anyone do a utility to achieve this reto look?
ReplyDeleteVery nicely done. I'm curious, where did you get all of these shots? And, did it take a long time to put together? (... "The Making of 'The Evolution of Desktops'")
ReplyDeleteTo all the comments about "you left out..." versus "Stop whining...", the post is entitled "The Evolution of Desktops". I would therefore have expected at least a complete list for the three environments included - Mac OS, Windows, and KDE.
ReplyDeleteAt the least the Xerox STAR and Apple Lisa screens would help those who have never seen those machines undestand where the MAC OS 1 came from. Same with NextStep for OSX. Win NT 3.51, 4.0 and 2000/XP would be easier to do of course (compared to getting one from a STAR workstation; I haven't even seen one since 1983). Finally, UNIX screens to KDE and Gnome would be useful as well for the Linux crew.
So perhaps it would have been *better* to do three versions of this? One for each main stream? Just a thought.
this is one proof that microsoft has always follow the steps of mac...
ReplyDeleteYou Missed...
ReplyDeleteWindows NT
Windows 2000
BEoS
GNOME
Coleco Adam
Solaris
etc....
excellent start though
What about TWM and associated variants.
ReplyDeleteWhat about VisiOn -- it predated all these, though not the Alto which others have noted should be there.
ReplyDeletehttp://toastytech.com/guis/vision.html
Has some screen shots
Lovely. I remember my first mac. Ahhh... and my first Windows and the day i switched to windwos...
ReplyDeleteVista looks coolest for the next gen GUIs.
ReplyDeletekde looks so good for its age
ReplyDeleteYeap that 1987 Sys 5 is definitely GSOS... one of the first 256 color "hires" windowed systems maybe even the first. This was the beginning of Apple's disloyalty to its customers.
ReplyDeleteApple ][gs was a marvel... Wouldn't mind seeing some Atari ST and Amiga OS desktops here... or maybe even WindowMaker which pre-dates KDE. CDE also should be represented as a showing of how bad a desktop can be when all vendors agree.
Alec
Probably already said in one of the 109 comments, but I miss Gnome? Furthermore it's highly fascinating to see the developments of the GUI's!
ReplyDeleteI miss the UNIX GUI's.
ReplyDeletewere is XGL?!?!
ReplyDeleteIt was over quickly, but I was hoping to see the GEOS for C64. THAT was a brave experiment for a 4MHz CPU with a 170Kb floppy drive!
ReplyDeletePS.
ReplyDeleteI just checked at Wikipedia and yup it's on there (from 1986)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEOS_%288-bit_operating_system%29
"At its peak, GEOS was the third most popular operating system in the world in terms of units shipped, trailing only MS-DOS and Mac OS."
Who knew?
I miss:
ReplyDelete- Gnome
- CDE/Motif
- OS/2
- AmigaOS
- Atari ST GEM
- Commodore64/GEOS
I'm missing The Operating System... snif...
ReplyDeleteThere's also Windows Tablet PC Edition, different versions of MCE (or at least one screenshot showing the latest MCE interface), and even the version of Windows for the UMPC, although that's stretching things a bit. Even Pocket PCs and Palms - both 'real' computers - which have gone through several evolutions. Now we're getting the Nokia N93 and upcoming Microsoft 'Windows Mobile' handhelds that can be plugged into a TV, with a wireless Bluetooth keyboard, and used that way, should you wish to approximate the experience you'll get on a regular Windows/Mac/Linux PC.
ReplyDeleteA comparison to some of the user interfaces seen in movies could be a good project, too - Johnny Mnemonic, Minority Report, that Michael J Fox movie with Demi Moore (Indecent Exposure?) and whatever other interfaces we can remember... some were silly, others quite futuristic... when are we gonna see some of these appear in real life? :-)
Great post! I miss the old mac OS :)
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_graphical_user_interface
ReplyDeleteLoved those pics :)
ReplyDeleteAs a lot have said, I miss GNOME :)
There are others like WindowMaker, FluxBox, etc...
ah the memories :)
ReplyDeleteWhere's Amiga OS, Atari OS etc.? FVWM? Gnome? CDE?
ReplyDeleteAnd where is the WorkBench (Amiga) ???????
ReplyDeleteAnd where is the Atari ST GEM from the early 80's? 'Twas much nicer than the Mac OS..., IMHO
ReplyDeleteWhy is the Amiga Workbench not shown here? Would have been interesting to see how their interface developed compared to the others. Their GUI was very well layed out, easy to use, and better at times than the MAC GUI of that time.
ReplyDeleteMake this list better and add the Amiga.
Proving once and for all that the Mac OS environment has been and will continue to be way more innovative than anything Redmond can put out.
ReplyDeleteI didn't have a chance to see many of these, so thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteNice, but what about the CDE, which Unix used for years before any improvements were made, see:
ReplyDeleteCDE Screenshot
I hated this thing, but it was a huge part of the evolution of the OS GUI : )
-Jim
If you look you see Windows caught up with Mac by 95 but Mac got ahead after Jobs returned with Next. Following the evolution of Next is also very interesting
ReplyDeleteAhm, better change your "Macintosh System 5" as it aint Macintosh System 5.
ReplyDeleteFree clue: google the Apple IIgs...
OK. OK. It's GS/OS, either 5 or 6, not sure which at the quick glance... the give away SHOULD have been the slots control panel item! Macs NEVER had a slots control panel item, along with the desktop "coloration"... 640x400(or was it 480?) 4 base colors, dithered to 8(? or was it 16?)... Guess I need to boot up the ol' IIgs again for a looksey...
You're really missing a lot o stuff there. You don't have Smalltalk. You don't have Lisa, you don't have NeXT, you don't have Symbolics, you don't have SGI.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have the GNOME cube and you don't have Java 3D. You don't have OpenCroquet.
You're just a stupid home loozer that know shit about the history of desktops.
Please, AMSTRAD GEM DESKTOP.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best.
You lost GNOME!!!!!! please,
ReplyDeleteThe topic, "The Evolution of Desktops", is very misleading, and very pro Mac. Xerox, GEM for the PC and the Atari, and a few other OS's, had every much or more to do with the "Evolution" of desktops than did the Mackintosh series of computers.
ReplyDeleteErr... Where is OS/2?
ReplyDeleteFunny... all the idiotic gnome fans... Obviously even Mac OS 1.0 is far superior to that smelly foot.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the half dozen operating systems that are still available for Atari computers? Or the new Amigas?
ReplyDeletewhere is the windows 2000, windows me?
ReplyDeleteYou forgot Poland! Err, GEOS!
ReplyDeleteWow people, I thought his blog here was great. I think the authors intentions was mainly just to give a simple overview of the evolution of the most influential desktops. Not a complete history. Sheesh, I'm sure there is another site out there dedicated to the entire history. In fact, I'll look for a link right now so this poor guy doens't have to keep listening to these stupid complaints. Ohh, after 30 seconds of searching, whaddya know. Wikipedia has a very nice article on this history of the GUI. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphical_user_interface
ReplyDeleteNice shots of some old systems. But what about...... and ..... and you can't forget...... The fact that you left out...... means that you ...... and how on earth did you miss the ....... OS?
ReplyDeleteFind a picture of Mesopotamia 1.0 clay tablet OS and you'll have the 1st desktop. Of course, the developers of the noted OS, Papyrus 1.1 had something to say about the scrolling feature.
What about Gnome?!!!
ReplyDeleteHere you can find another timeline with more systems.
ReplyDeletehttp://toastytech.com/guis/guitimeline.html
fluxbox? openbox? *box? and since you're including beta operating systems, where is looking glass and xgl/aiglx?
ReplyDeletewho cares about gnome, windows 2000, nt, and others window-managers, he did what he did, a good review in the history of 3 desktop environments, that's all, stop annoying and crying, if you miss something, find shots and extend the review by yourself
ReplyDeleteCOOL!!!
ReplyDeletePlease, update the KDE section with newer versions. Here are the most important releases:
1998: KDE 1.0
2000: KDE 2.0
2002: KDE 3.0
2006: KDE 3.5
And, please, let's not forget GNOME!
1999: GNOME 1.0
2002: GNOME 2.0
2006: GNOME 2.14
Where is the Amiga OS GUI screenshots? This would be a good avenue to show how advanced this computer was back in 1984.
ReplyDeleteammon said:
ReplyDeleteActually, in many cases, they could not. Lots of the older shots are posted in their native resolution, you're just looking at them on an overpowered monitor ;)
You're completely incorrect. Not a single one of those shots is at it's native resolution. They've all been shrunk down, with what looks like bicubic resizing (yecch).
Microsoft Windows 1.0 - I don't know for them.
ReplyDeleteI know Windows 3.1 and next.
An interesting collection of screen shots. It is quite sparse, though. As others here have said, it would be nice to see some images of Lisa (and NeXT)to show the Mac's lineage, as well as OS/2 which greatly influenced Windows' look (though MS would likely prefer to strongly deny that). Some early views from the early X environments would be neat, too.
ReplyDeleteWell, the Amiga WorkBench is missing... I think that there should have been inclusions to the varios versions of that. ;)
ReplyDeleteI missed some Gnome screen shots :P
ReplyDeleteSuddenly everyone's an expert!
ReplyDeletewhere is xcfe?? good Gnome??? pretty Enlightenment?? and awesome Xgl???
ReplyDeletepersonally xgl is more beautiful than windows vista or mac.
ReplyDeleteuhm, why aren't and of the old UNIX X/Windows systems displayed here? for example, SGI's 4Dwm?
ReplyDelete-sTc
Ahap, Gnome!
ReplyDeleteUnix doen't count?
Really. Stop complaining about this or that OS not being in the list.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a page that is trying to get everything, go here: http://toastytech.com/guis/index.html
very cool
ReplyDeleteugh people, wouldn't we be better off if we just forgot about GNOME?
ReplyDeletehuh Where is the AMIGA? year `85?
ReplyDeleteLong live Workbench! Remember folks!
Where is OS/2? Where is CD? Where is Gnome?
ReplyDeleteThat's CDE, not CD :P
ReplyDeleteXGL! not listed, wtf .....
ReplyDeleteshame shame shame. I'm running XGL and vista isn't even out. Just some sucky beta's
Some of you seriously need to get laid...holy crap. "That's not Mac System 5: it's GS/OS for the Apple IIgs, an entirely different beast." What a fuckin' tool.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the cool post and the time it took.
Old's cool! ;B
ReplyDeleteWhat about Microsoft ME? You forgot one of the best out there
ReplyDeleteGNOME ???????????????????
ReplyDeleteVery nice article :)
ReplyDeletei used to have an Apple IIe in my house back in 1988. it's a non-graphical generation of Apple.
ReplyDeletejung told me i have a weird sense of humor.. but i think you are more weird than me. even if i had a weird sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteГламурно.
ReplyDeleteToo bad this overview doesn't include the OS/2 warp operating system...
ReplyDeleteThe good old days... don't miss the old prices!!
ReplyDeleteNice collection - thank you for that
ReplyDeletethanks man..
ReplyDeletefrom Turkey , Eralp
Man, this collection is excellent. Congrats ^^
ReplyDeleteYou shuld see the new 3d linux desktop... http://www.linuxedge.org/?q=node/58 and how "fast" the next Vista is
ReplyDeletethe best desktop environment is kde. win = mac + kde + etc + trash + xçwksl +sddfkbasf+ stolen + ffdf +f
ReplyDeleteGot any shots of IBM's OS2?
ReplyDeleteYou should start it with GEOS (later GeoWorks :)
ReplyDeleteNostalgia! :O
ReplyDeleteAwesome thanks for taking the time to do this
ReplyDeleteI remember installing Windows 3.0 all those years ago. Wow...
ReplyDeleteWhere are the shots of GEM? Or the NEXT project? OS/2? OS/2 Warp? NT 3.50? The Amiga GUI?
ReplyDeleteMany of the apparent "jumps" in the development of Windows and Mac OS can be seen evolving in these systems.
We almost for DesqView/X which was an X-Windows interface for MS-DOS in the late 80's and early 90's
ReplyDelete*******************************
ReplyDeleteS U P E R
*******************************
rommel
GEM Desktop image link
ReplyDeleteOK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK... Give it a rest - stuff was missed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteContrary to accepted wisdom, there were desktops before 1984. My first “desktop” was a DecWriter followed by various “dumb” terminals connected to UNIX variant boxes under my desk. Then there was the evolution of character based PCs, TRS80, MS-DOS on IBM-PCs, XT, AT, and so on.
ReplyDeleteThanks for assembling this trip down memory lane.
Oh, and what about GEOS on the C64? My first GUI. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey man don't forget the most wonderful a coolest desktop ever created
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeXTSTEP
The GUI in NEXT Step was decades ahead of it's time. Even today it still rocks.
Juan
What about SymphonyOS? I don't seem to see anyone looking for that one. It's even out now and being actively developed!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories! I miss my Atari 800 XL, & Powerbook 190cs. Just remember folks, that the GEM OS is still out there under FreeGEM! Look at the transition, when these systems went on to the web! I had my Win 3.1 for 11 years, until I got XP, 2 years ago. Wish I went to Mac OS X! Golden years!
ReplyDeleteI think the main point is the two systems that have been around and evolved the whole time (Amiga, Atari faded out, UNIX GUI's faded in) -- if I were him, I wouldn't have included KDE at all. (Maybe he should have been more specific in his definition.) A complete list of screen shots from every six months for the past 25 years on up to a dozen systems. . . would be cool, but that's not this site.
ReplyDeleteWhere the REAL beginning with the Altair???? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Roberts_%28computers%29
ReplyDeleteWhere's OS/2 2.x and Warp? Where's NEXTStep? Those are HUGE pieces of missing information. The OS world did not evelove from Apple and MS?
Heck, where's my Atair 800XL taht booted to BASIC??? This was one of the firts PCs to have a separate graphics processor.
You guys needs to get off the 'Failed-OS' train here. It's an EVOLUTION of OS's. Meaning the ones that actually lasted from the start to the current. Amiga is DEAD. Atari is DEAD. NextStep & OpenStep... DEAD! These systems are merely footnotes in history, and the longest lasting victors are what are posted here.
ReplyDeleteBe gone with your rotting code, stop complaining and get on with the times.
Besides, Microsoft and Apple have been in bed together secretly for years. That's why their releases happen so closely together, why MAC and Windows systems are starting to mesh now, and why Vista looks like a MAC clone. They are not going to sue each other when they MAKE MONEY off each other!
Such are my comments. :P
I would love to see shots of the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga mixed in there. Those are the systems I was using in the mid-80s! The Amiga was by far the best computer during its time.
ReplyDeleteHow can one create a list about the evolution of the desktop and omit OS/2's Workplace Shell? In 1992, it was ages ahead of Windows and had some attributes that even the MacOS didn't have back then. I even think Microsoft most likely created the Windows 95 interface by copying IBM, not Apple.
ReplyDeleteOf course you can trace OS/2 desktop's roots back to the Mac, I won't argue that. But it was a joy to use OS/2. It's a shame IBM didn't know how to make it succeed and last.
So you can't find it in this list, but here is a link to Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_Shell
You missed the entire commodore computer line, vic20, c-64, c128, Amiga 1000,500,2000,3000,4000,600... you missed the apple1, apple2, apple IIc., apple IIe, apple IIgs. You missed the Atari 400, 800, 1200, the Atari ST... you missed Kaypro, Osbourne, Timex, RS TRS80, CPC, heck, even the IBM PCjr...
ReplyDeletePathetic attempt to cover the history of the PC... go learn something before you post something this lame.
OS/2 had WorkPlaceShell which totally owned Windows in functionality.
ReplyDeleteGlad I'm not the only one to recognize that that "Macintosh System 5" screen from 1987 is in fact a GS/OS screen taken from an Apple IIGS.
ReplyDeleteApple II Infinitum!
What about DeskView!!! That's where I got my intro to computers, on my Tandy 1000.
ReplyDeleteThis really great information....
ReplyDeleteEvery buddy should know it...
Thanks for theese memories.
ReplyDeleteFor those who criticize, don't shot to the pianist, send this guy some screen-shots of what you loved.
Bertrand (Fr)
Wow that's great! Thanks for calling forth memories!
ReplyDeleteThanks, very good work!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeletegreat and nostalgic work.......
Nice job but - once again - where the hell is Amiga's Workbench???
ReplyDeleteSad to say it but without of AmigaOS this comparsion is not worth of watching it - I can understand the fact that fom today's point of view it's not important but it's a great part of GUIs history so not showing it means that Your hiding truth.
I don't want to be rude but we all know how man calls hiding some part of history...
*sniff* I miss Windows 3.1 (loaded on the first 386-dx2/66 machine). Of course I may be misremembering through a fog of nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteI know I still miss the tree command and dot matrix printers for archiving crap. Print the contents and fold paper--no attempts to squeeze codewords onto tiny labels *sigh*
And yet! Wireless cablemodems are nifty too.