Why Use A Window System?

Although it is possible to perform many computing tasks using a simple dumb terminal, it is not a very natural way of working because:-

• You frequently want to look at more than one file or run more than one program at once and also want to see more than the 24 lines a typical dumb terminal provides.

• In an environment that is constantly changing it is not always easy to remember how to use programs optimally.

For many years now there has been a more user friendly interface for computers: Windows. A windows interface provides a full screen interaction. You can work on several tasks simultaneously each in its own window which you can move as required in the same way that you might arrange sheets of paper on a desk. To keep the ``desk'' tidy you can shrink windows that you don't currently want, to tiny symbols (icons). Each window includes visual clues that help you remember how to use the software. You interact using a terminal and a mouse.