Why should Windows get all the attention for. Especially when one can run Geoworks Ensemble instead. Originally released as PC/GEOS, and then Geoworks Ensemble, and this case, Geoworks Pro, this program, like Windows, provided a easy-to-use, but yet, powerful graphical environment for the PC.
One has to remember was that trying to run a GUI in the late 80's/early 90's was a tall order. While early Windows had no issue running on PC's equipped with either the 8086/8088 processor or the 286, their was a lot to be desired. While they can run, those processors weren't geared to run such environments. Even the lower-end 386's often choked when running such GUI's. OS/2 might as well been out of the question for the vast majority of home PC users.
The XT-class machines still were widely used in the home setting at the start of the 90's. Due to Windows's spotty record of running on such computers, Berkeley Softworks saw a potential market. They already were known for the GEOS environment that ran on the Apple II and C64. As such, they started to program their own GUI that could compete with Windows.
Released in 1990, Geoworks ran very well on XT-class machines that would have struggled running Windows 3.0. Not only that, it was a speed demon on AT-class hardware with that 386 processor. By default, Geoworks used the Motif-themed button widget. Motif was a GUI for X11 on UNIX that was popular during that time. Motif mimicked Windows and brought familiarity to X11 users that were also accustomed to running Windows on a regular basis.
Geoworks came bundled with applets that was very similar to functionality compared to Windows. The greatest claim to fame for Geoworks was that a runtime-version of it powered the DOS version of AOL. Despite it being a very powerful environment though, Geoworks never caught on in the same way that Windows did. Windows already had a growing software library that was rapidly being updated to support 3.0. Third-party support from the ISV's were far and few. However, this was a noble attempt to take on the Redmond Giant. A very powerful GUI worth acknowledging.
GEOS (Wikipedia)
[ Ссылка ]_(16-bit_operating_system)
