This timeline lists all of the graphical user interface environments that I have been able to find information about through my own research and on the Internet. I want to be as historically accurate as I can, however due to limited available information there may be some mistakes. See my notes section at the end for known inaccuracies. If you see an error and have additional information about it please e-mail me.
 
 

1973

April 1973, the first operational Alto computer is completed at Xerox PARC. The Alto is the first system to pull together all of the elements of the modern Graphical User Interface.  Features: 3-button mouse. Bit-mapped display. The use of graphical windows. Ethernet network. More Info... Links...

1980

1980: Three Rivers Computer Corporation introduces the Perq graphical workstation. More Info... Links...

1981

1981 June: Xerox introduces the Star, the commercial successor to the Alto. Notable features: Double-clickable icons, overlapping windows, dialog boxes and a 1024*768 monochrome display. More Info... Links...

1983

	1983 January: Apple introduces the Lisa. Notable features:  Pull down menus and menu bars. More Info... Links...
	Visi Corp releases Visi On, the first integrated graphical software environment for IBM PCs. More Info... Links...
	Microsoft announces their new "Windows" program for the IBM PC but does not release it until 1985. Notable features: Is supposed to have overlapping / resizable windows. More Info... Links...

1984

	January 1984: Apple introduces the Macintosh. More Info... Links...
	September: Digital Research announces its GEM icon/desktop user interface for 8086- and DOS-based computers. It also was later ported to the Atari ST. More Info... Links...
	June: "window system X"  announced at MIT. Versions 1-6 were monochrome only, and ran on DEC VS100's displays connected to VAXen and VAXstations 1 and 2.  Versions 8-10 dealt with color, for the VAXstation II/GPX. X10 is the first version that saw widespread availability and use on many vendor's systems. Version 11 was redesign for higher performance, more window management styles, extensibility and better graphics capability More Info... Links...