Design reference 40 · Playful & material
Desktop 1995
Present a small collection as familiar, named tools and folders.
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Design specification
Philosophy and fit. Present a small collection as familiar, named tools and folders. Suitable for portfolios, digital exhibitions, personal project collections, and compact creative utilities.
Visual grammar. A desktop, icon labels, bevelled window frames, title bars, and a task strip organise content into discrete applications. Use a neutral grey interface, one selected-state colour, compact system-like typography, and restrained bitmap accents. Windows have explicit open, close, minimise, and maximise controls; their content uses semantic document structure.
Specimen and flow. *Parcel OS* is a fictional designer’s portfolio with only Projects, Contact, and Help windows. Open Projects, select a case study, then open its contact form. Supporting states are an application switcher and a help view explaining the controls. Window positioning is optional; a general desktop framework is outside the specimen's scope.
Mobile and motion. Show one full-width application at a time, with a clear back control and application list. Keyboard focus follows the active window and returns to its launcher when closed.
Identity and effort. Preserve the desktop’s task model; avoid decorative windows that obscure navigation or pretend to access the visitor’s filesystem. Effort: high.
Files for a coding model
Reference images
- Desktop — 1440 × 1000 viewport
- Phone — 390 × 844 viewport
- Supporting state — 1440 × 1000 viewport
- Full page — 1440 × 1000 viewport
Supporting routes
Reuse
Use and adapt the original code and specifications for personal or commercial work under MIT. Keep applicable font and photo notices. The ZIP includes the complete runnable reference and its local assets.