| The Macintosh, commonly known as the Mac, is a | | | | Two of the main features of the Aqua GUI are: |
| range of personal computers developed by Apple Inc. | | | | |
| The Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Mac's | | | | 1. The gel-like buttons that control wind, which come |
| Operating System version 10.4 is referred to as | | | | in red, yellow and green colours. |
| Aqua. It is the successor of Platinum which was used | | | | 2. The dock which helps to launch and navigate |
| in Mac version 8 and 9. As is suggested by the | | | | between applications. David Pogue, a technology |
| names, Aqua GUI is based on the theme of water. It | | | | columnist for the New York Times, described the |
| makes use of droplet-like-elements and also avails of | | | | scrollbars as "lickable globs of Crest Berrylicious |
| reflective and translucent effects. In the words of | | | | Toothpaste Gel". |
| Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc., "One | | | | The brushed metal windows and the standard |
| of the design goals (of Aqua GUI) was when you | | | | pinstriped are the two basic types of windows that |
| saw it, you wanted to lick it". | | | | come with Aqua. Both these styles seem to have |
| The water themed user interface first made its | | | | the navigational button embedded into the window |
| introduction at the January 2000 Macworld | | | | but in versions of Mac before 10.2, the buttons |
| Conference and Expo, San Francisco. The debut | | | | appear on top of the pinstriped windows. |
| appearance of the Aqua GUI in a commercial product | | | | As newer versions are released, the Aqua GUI has |
| was during the July 2000 release of the iMovie 2. In | | | | been made increasingly subtle. For instance the |
| that the scroll bar and the buttons had the Mac | | | | pinstripes have been made fainter. Also the menus as |
| Operating Systems' all-new Aqua look. Its second | | | | well as the system dialogs have been made more |
| appearance was in the Mac OS X Public Beta in | | | | translucent. Even the appearances of the buttons |
| September of the same year. This was followed by | | | | and the widgets have been made softer. |
| a feature in iTunes in January the following year. | | | | Quartz Compositor which handles the underlying |
| Aqua was made Mac's official graphical user interface | | | | graphics management of the user interface powers |
| after the release of the Mac OS X. The two basic | | | | Aqua. |
| colours which highlight Aqua's style are blue and | | | | To find out more about the Mac, as well as tips, |
| white. | | | | downloads and reviews, visit: Macintosh Tools. |