David Canfield Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 29, 1945 |
| Alma mater | Oberlin College Stanford University |
| Known for | Computer interface icons, Graphical user interface, Xerox Star, Desktop Metaphor, Programming by demonstration |
| Spouse | Janet Smith |
| Awards | 2020 SIGCHI Lifetime Achievement |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer science Human–computer interaction User interface design |
| Institutions | Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Stanford Research Institute Xerox VisiCorp Dest Systems Cognition Apple Computer Stagecast IBM |
| Thesis | Pygmalion, A Creative Programming Environment (1975) |
| Doctoral advisor | Alan Kay |
David Canfield Smith is an American computer scientist best known for inventing computer icons and the programming technique known as programming by demonstration. His primary emphasis has been in the area of human–computer interaction (CHI) design. His goal was to make computers easier for ordinary people to use. He is one of the pioneers of the modern graphical user interfaces (GUI) for computers, having invented such techniques as the desktop metaphor, dialog boxes, and universal commands.