Chapter 9 Flashcards
What was so revolutionary about the Macintosh computer in 1984?
- The Macintosh introduced a graphical user interface (GUI) to personal computing, utilizing windows, icons, and a mouse. This was a stark contrast to the text-based interfaces of other popular computers like the IBM PC.
- This new approach made computers more intuitive and user-friendly. While the Macintosh wasn’t the first computer to use a GUI, it popularized the concept and shifted the paradigm for how users would interact with computers
Where did the idea for a graphical user interface originate?
- the key elements of the GUI were invented at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in the mid-1970s
- Their Alto computer was the first to feature a fully realized GUI, including a mouse, bit mapped display, and the Smalltalk programming environment, which introduced object-oriented programming.
Why didn’t Xerox successfully commercialize the Alto and its GUI?
- Xerox did attempt to commercialize its GUI technology with the Xerox Star computer in 1981, a refinement of the Alto. However, it was very expensive and marketed primarily for office automation, rather than as a personal computer.
- The Star also lacked the flexibility and affordability of emerging personal computers like the IBM PC
How did Apple get involved in graphical computing?
- they were inspired by the Alto, and incorporated many of its aspect in the Apple Lisa, released in 1983.
- the Lisa paved the way for the Macintosh, which took the Lisa’s GUI and packaged it into a smaller, more affordable machine.
What were some of the challenges faced by the early Macintosh?
- the original Macintosh was hampered by its limited memory (128 KB), lack of expandability, and high price.
- its closed architecture, with no expansion slots, made it difficult for users to upgrade the machine.
*Software development was also challenging due to the lack of tools and the small memory capacity
What was the significance of desktop publishing for the Macintosh?
- Creation of desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker (1985) and the Apple LaserWriter
- allowed users to create professional-quality publications on a personal computer
What were some other competitors to the Macintosh in the graphical computing market?
- the Commodore Amiga and the Atari ST. -> Both were powerful machines with 68000 processors and offered compelling features and lower prices.
- they lacked the polish of the Macintosh and couldn’t compete with the growing PC ecosystem.
What ultimately happened to the various companies involved in the early development of graphical computing?
- Xerox ultimately failed to capitalize on its early innovations and lost its leading position in the computing market.
- Apple continued to refine the Macintosh and, while remaining a niche player, it became known for its user-friendly and design-focused computers.
- Commodore and Atari eventually went bankrupt, unable to keep up with the rapidly evolving PC market.
- NeXT, Steve Jobs’ second company, achieved limited success with its high-end workstations but eventually shifted focus to its operating system, which would later form the basis for macOS
- The development of Microsoft Windows brought the graphical user interface to the mass market, building on the foundations laid by Xerox, Apple, and others.
Who created the concept that was similar to modern tablets, and when?
Alan Kay with his creation of Dynabook in 1968.
When was PARC established? By who and for what purpose?
In 1970 Xerox established the Palo Alto Research Center (PARK) to explore the future of information technology.
Who conceived the idea of a laser printer and when?
Gary Starkweather, a Xerox engineer, in 1971.
What was the Alto, and when did its development start?
In 1972. The Alto was a personal minicomputer featuring high-resolution graphics, a large memory, and a mouse.
What were some key technical developments in the late 1970s?
- Xerox begins using Altos more widely
- IBM and Canon introduce laser printers using Xerox technology
- the term “distributed computing” emerges to describe systems with interconnected computers
What was the email program developed for the Alto, and when was this?
The graphical email program Laurel, which introduced the concept of downloading messages to a client for reading and replying. In 1978
What were the key technical developments in 1979?
- Motorola introduces the 68000 microprocessor, a powerful 32-bit chip designed for ease of programming
- Jef Raskin at Apple starts a project for a user-friendly personal computer, which Steve Jobs later takes over and renames “Macintosh”
What was the first desktop publishing application, and when was it released?
Aldus releases PageMaker (developed by Paul Brainerd) in 1985, the first desktop publishing application, designed for the Macintosh and utilizing Adobe’s PostScript language
What was AppleTalk?
A user-friendly networking system for the Macintosh, introduced in 1985 by Apply
When was the Macintosh Plus released?
In 1986, featuring an expanded memory and a hard drive interface.
When was the Macintosh II launched?
In 1987, featuring expansion slots and support for full-sized monitors
When was the Macintosh Portable released?
In 1989. It was a battery-powered version of the Macintosh featuring an active matrix display.
Which shift did NeXT make in 1993?
it discontinued its hardware line and shifted its focus to developing its operating system for PCs.
When did Commodore International declare bankruptcy?
1994
Who was the inventor of the Ethernet networking system?
Bob Metcalfe
Who is Doug Engelbart?
- Pioneer of interactive computing
- Invented the mouse (Bill English refined it at PARC) and other interactive devices
- his ideas influenced the work at Xerox PARC
Who was the pioneer of the 32-bit minicomputer
Bill Poduska
Who invented the Pascal programming language?
Niklaus Wirth.
He also contributed to the development of Object Pascal for the Macintosh
Who developed the C++ programming language?
Bjarne Stroustrup.
The C++ programming language popularized object-oriented programming.
