13.	INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERLISP-D ENVIRONMENT

 
This chapter is a simple introduction to the Interlisp-D "environment," the display system and display-oriented tools that the user first encounters when Interlisp-D is initially loaded and started.  This chapter does not document how to load and start Interlisp-D on a given computer.  This process is different for every computer.  See the Interlisp-D Users Guide for your computer system.
When Interlisp-D is initially started, the display screen lights up, showing a number of rectangular regions, called "windows."  The initial configuration of windows includes the following three windows:

This window is called the "logo window," and is used to identify the system.

This window is the prompt window, used for printing various system prompt messages.

This window is used for typing expressions and commands to the Interlisp-D executive, and for the executive to print any results (see page X.XX).  For example, in the above picture, the user typed in (PLUS 3 4), and the executive evaluated it, and printed out the result, 7.  The upward pointing-arrow () is the flashing caret, which indicates where the next keyboard typein will be printed (see page X.XX).
The user can interactively move and reshape any of the windows, using the "mouse" pointing device, a small box connected to the computer keyboard by a long wire.  On the top of the mouse are two or three buttons.  On the bottom is a rolling ball or a set of photoreceptors, to detect when the mouse is moved.  As the mouse is moved on a surface, a small image on the screen, called the cursor, moves to follow the movement of the mouse.  By moving the mouse, the user can cause the cursor to point to any part of the display screen.  The mouse and cursor are an important part of the Interlisp-D user interface.  The Interlisp-D window system allows the user to create, move, and reshape windows, and to select items from displayed menus, all by moving the mouse and clicking the mouse buttons (see page X.XX). 

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