Accessory windows

There is also a notable variance in the positioning of toolboxes and the grouping of features that relate to common areas of functionality. Over the years, there have been many iterations such as drawers (which slide out from the window) and pop-out dialog windows (still used where context is important but the tools are used less often), but the always-visible toolbar or accessory window remains the most popular.

For example, applications designed for Linux and Unix desktops are typically presented using separate windows for each of the supporting tool panels:

Multiple windows were commonly used in Gimp, the popular open source image manipulation program

Compare this with Windows software, which commonly uses a combined layout where controls are positioned around the borders of the document window:

In Microsoft Paint, however, the tools are grouped at the top of the document. Used with permission from Microsoft.

Both of these approaches, within a single platform, provide a consistent user experience, but for a graphical application that targets multiple operating systems, it is important to consider which approach suits best. Does your software particularly suit one approach or the other? Maybe it will be easier for people to use your application if its graphical design adapts the layout to match the conventions of the platform it is running on.