GCSE ICT User Interfaces

User interfaces The way in which the user of a computer communicates with the machine is called the Human- Computer Interface or User Interface. This is an important function of an operating system.

User interfaces A good human-computer or user interface needs: –To be user friendly –To be attractive to use –To be effective –To be easy to use

User interfaces A user friendly interface should make it possible for the user to use the software without having to read the entire manual first! An interface that is attractive to use will encourage users to use the software.

User interfaces An effective interface will do its job efficiently. An easy to use interface will have menu structures that are consistent in design and layout across several different software packages (e.g. the fast save option will be in the same place on the toolbar and have the same icon).

User interfaces GUIs (also known as Icons). Toolbars. Drop-down menus. Pop-up menus. Combinations of the above.

Graphic User Interfaces Graphic user interfaces (also known as GUIs) are usually called ICONS. GUIs are small pictures that represent actions, and they can be selected by ‘clicking’ on them with the mouse.

Some examples of GUIs GUIs or Icons that will activate particular programs Microsoft Word Outlook Express

Some examples of GUIs used with a toolbar GIUs or Icons that will activate particular tools on a Toolbar Fast Save Print Clipboard Text Justification

Some examples of toolbars Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Microsoft Access Note the use of GUIs or Icons that are common to all the toolbars Examples include: Fast Save, Print, and Print Preview Help

Some examples of drop-down menus Note that options that are not available are ‘greyed’ or ‘ghosted’

Some examples of pop-up menus The Microsoft Windows ‘Start’ Menu pops up when the ‘Start’ button is pressed The ‘AutoShapes’ Menu in Microsoft Word pops up when the ‘AutoShapes’ button is pressed

Other forms of interface All the examples shown so far have been ‘point and click’ device driven. There are, however, other forms of interface that are command and key driven.

An example of a command driven interface Before the introduction of GUIs by Apple Mac and Microsoft, computers had to be given commands in DOS. These were typed in, and often used abbreviations. This example is the command used to view the directory of all the programs and files in ‘Windows’.

An example of a key driven interface This example is taken from the Microsoft Word Toolbar. Besides being able to select a command by clicking on the appropriate word with a mouse, these options can also be selected by the use of the keyboard. For example: Pressing the ‘Alt’ and ‘f’ keys at the same time selects the File option. Pressing the ‘Alt’ and ‘o’ keys together at the same time selects the Format option.