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Prior to the invention of the Alto, computer user interfaces were all command line driven. Introducing a GUI interface was a huge step towards making personal computers possible. While it is often mentioned that the Alto was an inspiration for the Macintosh™ computer, it is interesting to note that the Alto was introduced in 1973 and the Macintosh™ did not appear until 1984. Xerox's successful demonstration of a GUI interface indicates how innovative research begins in a laboratory environment and is gradually adopted by mainstream computer manufacturers. This suggests that the interfaces being developed in the research laboratories today represent the widespread interfaces of the future.
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