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From: rmr@tove.cs.umd.edu (Randy M. Rohrer)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: WIMP-interface
Keywords: what's-a-wimp ?
Message-ID: <33827@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 1 May 91 23:19:39 GMT
References: <1991May01.123307.2147@cs.ruu.nl>
Sender: news@mimsy.umd.edu
Reply-To: rmr@tove.cs.umd.edu (Randy M. Rohrer)
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742
Lines: 23

In article <1991May01.123307.2147@cs.ruu.nl> rkunenbo@cs.ruu.nl (Ronald Kunenborg) writes:
>
>
> Over here in Holland I just heard about a WIMP-interface.
> Does anyone know what 'WIMP' means (I mean as an acronym:) ?
>-- 
> Ronald Kunenborg,  Victoriestraat 3,  3815 ML Amersfoort,  The Netherlands
>                        (rkunenbo@praxis.cs.ruu.nl)

        "WIMP interface" is a general term used to describe the 
the interaction style of many of today's user interfaces. 
WIMP is an acronym for

       Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointing devices

Of course, the roots of such interfaces and the "desktop" metaphor
is usually credited to the pioneering work of people at Xerox PARC
(i.e. Xerox Star and earlier). Some of today's work in virtual reality
is an attempt to go beyond WIMP interfaces.

                                      Randy Rohrer

                                      rmr@tove.cs.umd.edu