In graphical computing, a desktop environment (DE) commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface (GUI) that is based on the desktop metaphor which can be seen on most modern personal computers today. [http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/~l0f0954/academic/cpsc610/hw2-3.htm Desktop Metaphor ] Almost universally adopted in modern computers , these graphical interfaces are designed to assist the user in easily accessing and configuring (or modifying) the most important (or frequently accessed) specific OS packed features, yet it is not meant to give access to the whole vast feature set found in an OS, reason for which the traditional, yet more complicated and less intuitive, command-line interface (CLI) is still in use when full control over the OS is required.

A desktop environment typically consists of icons, windows, toolbars, folders, wallpapers, and desktop widgets. (See WIMP.)

Software which provides a desktop environment might also provide drag and drop functionality and other features which make the desktop metaphor more complete. On the whole, a desktop environment is to be an intuitive way for the user to interact with the computer using concepts which are similar to those used when interacting with the physical world, such as buttons and windows.

While the term desktop environment originally described a style of user interfaces following the desktop metaphor, it has also come to describe the programs that provide the metaphor itself. This usage has been popularized by the Common Desktop Environment and The K Desktop Environment.

Implementation

On a system which offers a desktop environment, a window manager in conjunction with applications written using a widget toolkit are generally responsible for the majority of what the user sees. A windowing system of some sort generally interfaces directly with the underlying operating system and libraries. This provides support for graphical hardware, pointing devices, and keyboards. The window manager generally runs on top of this windowing system. While the windowing system may provide some window management functionality, this functionality is still considered to be part of the window manager, which simply happens to have been provided by the windowing system.

Applications which are created with a particular window manager in mind usually make use of a windowing toolkit, generally provided with the operating system or window manager. A windowing toolkit gives applications access to widgets which allow the user to interact graphically with the application in a consistent manner.

History and common use

Apple had the first desktop environment on an affordable personal computer, which first appeared on the Lisa. However the first desktop environment was by Xerox, and was sold with the Xerox Alto in the 1970s. The Alto was generally considered by Xerox to be a personal office computer, but failed in the market place due to poor marketing and a very high price tag.