computer science

W Window System

W Window System is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand W Window System rather than just read about it. In short: The W Window System, or simply W, is a discontinued windowing system and precursor, in name and concept, to the X Window System. W was originally developed at Stanford University by Paul Asente and Brian Reid for the V operating system.

Key takeaways

W Window System belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect W Window System to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of W Window System from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The W Window System, or simply W, is a discontinued windowing system and precursor, in name and concept, to the X Window System. W was originally developed at Stanford University by Paul Asente and Brian Reid for the V operating system. In 1983, Paul Asente and Chris Kent ported the system to UNIX on the VS100, giving a copy to those working at MIT's Laboratory for Computer Science. In 1984, Bob Scheifler of MIT replaced the synchronous protocol of W with an asynchronous 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.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with W Window System

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what W Window System claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to W Window System before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about W Window System ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of W Window System

In research: W Window System appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses W Window System in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: W Window System is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computing stubs, Desktop environment stubs, Operating system stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for W Window System outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study W Window System in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what W Window System means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain W Window System out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is W Window System in simple terms?

Why does W Window System matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study W Window System?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on W Window System.