W Window System

The W Window System, or simply W, is a discontinued <a href="/facts/Windowing_system/nKYmkjP6">windowing system</a> and precursor, in name and concept, to the modern <a href="/facts/X_Window_System/ac2vRIQL">X Window System</a>.
W was originally developed at <a href="/facts/Stanford_University/JEQeF9z2">Stanford University</a> by Paul Asente and <a href="/facts/Brian_Reid_(computer_scientist)/1dHJRrA7">Brian Reid</a> for the <a href="/facts/V_(operating_system)/ezLoMQWA">V operating system</a>. In 1983, Paul Asente and Chris Kent ported the system to <a href="/facts/Unix/0pNL2seI">UNIX</a> on the <a href="/facts/VAXstation/gRtBhrdk">VS100</a>, giving a copy to those working at <a href="/facts/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology/Xk49vNA8">MIT</a>'s Laboratory for Computer Science.
In 1984, <a href="/facts/Bob_Scheifler/hE01kpJP">Bob Scheifler</a> of MIT replaced the <a href="/facts/Synchronization_(computer_science)/n7ID76uM">synchronous</a> protocol of W with an <a href="/facts/Asynchronous_I/O/6A7V3P89">asynchronous</a> alternative and named the result X.
Since this time, the X window system has gone through many fundamental changes and no longer bears any significant resemblance to W.

W Window System open-in-new

W Window System