What Is A WIMP Interface?

Date First Published: 29th November 2023

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Software

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty: Medium

Difficulty Level: 5/10

CONTENTS

Advantages and Disadvantages Of A WIMP Interface
Difference Between A WIMP and A GUI

Learn about what a WIMP interface is in this article.

Stands for Windows, Icons, Menus, and Pointers. WIMP describes a GUI that uses a pointer, such as a mouse cursor, to navigate and interact with the computer using windows, icons, and menus. Operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS are interacted with using a WIMP.

The window isolates programs from each other, allowing users to easily switch between running programs, icons act as shortcuts to different programs, locations, and actions possible in an operating system, a menu can be used as a selection system for different tasks, and a pointer represents the location of a device movement to make selections in the GUI.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of A WIMP Interface

The advantages of a WIMP interface are:

It is often easy for users to find their way around the software using a WIMP interface. This means that it is more user-friendly and intuitive.
Users do not need to learn complex commands to perform tasks.
They easily allow users to exchange data between different software applications.

The disadvantages of a WIMP interface are:

They need much more memory (RAM) to run than other types of user interfaces due to all the graphical elements.
It is not suitable for tasks that require precise input, like drawing and writing. Using a WIMP interface for these sorts of tasks is often awkward, but pressure-sensitive graphics tablets are often used to overcome this limitation.
It can be inaccessible to users with disabilities, such as users with visual impairments. Alternative text-based interfaces may not always be available.

Difference Between A WIMP and A GUI

A WIMP is not to be confused with a GUI. A WIMP is just one type of GUI, which is designed to be used with a keyboard and mouse, since the mouse controls the pointer and the keyboard is used to enter data. All WIMP interfaces are GUIs, but not all GUIs are WIMPs.

For example, GUIs, like iOS and Android do not use a WIMP type of interaction as they lack windows and menus. These modern interfaces are sometimes referred to as "post-WIMP" interfaces.