Xerox Alto/Smalltalk GUI

The Xerox Alto, running the Smalltalk environment, was one of the first computers to extensively use a graphical user interface driven by mouse input, fundamentally relying on an event-driven loop for user interaction.

Significance

Demonstrated the power and responsiveness of event-driven programming for user interfaces, setting a precedent for future operating systems and applications.

Key facts

Date
1973-03-01
Type
invention
Location
Xerox PARC, Palo Alto, California, USA