The graphical user interface (GUI) was developed by Dr. Douglas Engelbart in the 1960s. His work at the Stanford Research Institute led to the creation of the first computer applications with a GUI, which included the use of windows, icons, and menus that users could interact with using a mouse.
Engelbart’s vision was to make computers more accessible to users by allowing them to interact with machines in a more intuitive way, moving away from command-line interfaces. His seminal demonstration in 1968, often referred to as the ‘Mother of All Demos,’ showcased these concepts and is considered a landmark moment in the history of computing.
While Engelbart was crucial to the creation of the GUI, it was later popularized and further developed by companies like Apple and Microsoft in the 1980s with products like the Apple Lisa and Microsoft Windows, making the GUI a standard in personal computing.