In human–computer interaction, WIMP stands for "window, icon, menu, pointing device", denoting a style of interaction using these elements. It was coined by Merzouga Wilberts in 1980.[1] Although its usage has fallen out of favor, it is often used as an approximate synonym of "GUI". WIMP interaction was developed at Xerox PARC (see Xerox Alto, developed in 1973) and "popularized by the Macintosh computer in 1984", where the concepts of the "menu bar" and extended window management were added. [2] This style of interaction uses a physical input device to control the position of a cursor and presents information organized in windows and represented with icons. Available commands are compiled together in menus and actioned through the pointing device. This is intended to reduce the cognitive load to remember the possibilities available, reducing learning times.
Other inteded benefits of this style include its ease of use for non-technical people, both novice and power users. Also know-how can be ported from one application to the next, given the high consistency between interfaces.
Since "wimp" in common speech is a derogatory term for a person lacking strength or courage, the acronym WIMP is sometimes used in a likewise derogatory manner[1], especially by those who prefer more traditional command-line interfaces
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