Section 38. The Mac OS X GUI

38. The Mac OS X GUI

The graphical user interface (GUI) governs the look and behavior of windows, menus, controls, buttons, cursors, icons, dialog boxes, and scroll bars. Though responsible for visual appeal, the GUI is more than just eye candyit dictates how using the computer "feels."

For example: in the Windows GUI, dialog boxes pop up in floating windows. This can be startlingand frustrating, because important information can get lost under other windows. But on Macs, dialog boxes slide gently down from a program's title bar, keeping notifications in context.

Small differences like these combine to make the Mac OS X GUI a more pleasant environment for getting things done.