Kare’s icons for the Macintosh System 1, Apple’s first computer-operating system, changed the communication interface between humans and machines, making it easier and friendlier in tone. To design them, Kare used the decidedly analog method of pencil and pen on graph paper, each square representing a single pixel. Her icons are perfect translations of various word-processing and operating functions—a pair of scissors for cutting text and a trash bin for deleting files. These pictograms were designed to be a language intelligible to users in any country—a fully intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) whose influence remains evident in today’s devices.
Pirouette: Turning Points in Design, January 26, 2025–November 15, 2025
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