Presentation Manager

Presentation Manager

Presentation Manager (PM) is a graphical user interface (GUI) developed by IBM for its OS/2 operating system. It was introduced in 1988 as a replacement for the text-based user interface of OS/2 1.0. PM provided a more intuitive and visually appealing interface, allowing users to interact with their computer using windows, icons, menus, and pointers.

History

Presentation Manager was developed as part of IBM's effort to compete with Microsoft Windows, which was gaining popularity at the time. IBM wanted to provide its OS/2 users with a GUI that could rival the user experience offered by Windows. The development of PM started in the mid-1980s and was completed in 1988 with the release of OS/2 1.1.

Features

Presentation Manager introduced several features that enhanced the user experience on OS/2:

Windows: PM allowed users to work with multiple windows on their desktop. Each window could contain different applications or documents, making multitasking more efficient.

Icons: PM introduced icons as visual representations of files, folders, and applications. Users could easily identify and access their files by clicking on the corresponding icons.

Menus: PM provided context-sensitive menus that appeared when users right-clicked on an object. These menus offered a range of options and commands related to the selected object, making it easier to perform actions.

Pointers: PM introduced a graphical pointer, commonly known as a mouse cursor, which allowed users to interact with the GUI by pointing and clicking on objects.

Usage

Presentation Manager was the default GUI for OS/2 until the release of OS/2 Warp in 1994, which introduced the Workplace Shell (WPS). While PM continued to be supported in later versions of OS/2, the WPS became the primary GUI for the operating system.

PM was also used by third-party developers to create applications for OS/2. Many software vendors developed PM-based applications, taking advantage of its user-friendly interface and features.

Legacy

Although Presentation Manager is no longer the primary GUI for OS/2, its influence can still be seen in modern graphical user interfaces. Many concepts introduced by PM, such as windows, icons, menus, and pointers, have become standard features in operating systems like Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions.

See also

• OS/2
• Graphical user interface
• Workplace Shell