Abstract: A system and method in which a real-time display includes a graphical user interface that enables the user to control the display screen. More specifically, the display screen may include a slider control icon that determines the amount of historical data that is retained after the display screen fills up and the location of the next data point following a screen update. The slider control icon enables greater flexibility in displaying real-time data through an easy to use interface. In one embodiment, the system determines whether the display screen is full when it detects a new data point. If the display screen is full, the system determines the location of the slider icon. Based upon the determined position of the slider icon, the system shifts the historical data, discards portions of the historical data, and begins appending new data points at the position of the slider.