GUI is an acronym that stands for graphical user interface. A GUI makes it simple to use what are often considered to be complicated programs. Instead of having to type out arcane, complicated text commands to run a program, you simply point your mouse cursor at the on-screen icon which represents the program and click on it. A GUI can be especially helpful if you're a computer novice or if you don't know the command language. Examples of such graphical user interface programs are Windows® and the Macintosh Apple operating system. Both of these systems use GUIs that have the set of features necessary to operate the computer. Possibly the most recognized features of a GUI are the icons used to indicate what commands or files are embedded beneath. The pictures or icons themselves may or may not be helpful in symbolizing what files or commands are attached. For instance, the ubiquitous 'recycle bin' icon is a picture of a trashcan to represent its action. To discover what commands these icons prompt, you may need a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball to point and click on the icon. Also, most GUIs have a desktop, which is a screen where the icons are grouped on display. Windows and menus also are incorporated into the layout. A window enables you to run different files and different programs concurrently, assisting you as you write one file and reference another
c2004 Bluestreak Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
