User interface

The user interface (UI) refers to the style and feel of how an operating system or software product feels and acts. It is what you see and do. In Mac OS X, the graphical user interface (GUI) is based on the Aqua theme, menu bar, and iOS-like features.

Classic Mac OS
Classic Mac OS used a fairly consistent graphical user interface (GUI) style, modestly updating its classic black & white interface in System 7 and then revising it with the Platinum appearance in Mac OS 8.

Macintosh System 1.1
Macintosh System 1.1 was a black and white style GUI User Interface. At that time it had no name. It had the menu bar at top, although it was not used very much. The apple logo was on the left.

Macintosh System 3
The user interface of System 3 looks mostly like the System 1.1, as seen in the photo below.

Macintosh System 4.2
There is not change between System 4.2 and previous versions.

Macintosh System 7
The graphical user interface of System 7 added color elements.

Mac OS 8
Mac OS 8 was the first to use the Platinum graphical user interface.

Mac OS 9
Mac OS 9 resembles 8, but with additional features.

Mac OS X
Mac OS X introduced the more modern Aqua GUI, known for its Dock, new Finder, and support for multi-button mouse controls.