Bit 2305 -6[3]- Windowing Systems)

BIT 2305 Human Computer Interface

Windowing

1

Contents ❚ Windows system components ❚ Metaphor concept

2

Windows system components Contents ❚ Introduction to Windows ❚ Benefits ❚ Types of windows

3

Introduction to windows. ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚

Rectangular area of visual display. Border contains independent view of data way of partitioning the computer screen

4

Benefits ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚

Optimisation of limited display space multiple sources at one time interaction of multiple views use of one set of input devices different mouse actions allowed no complex command languages standardised interface across applications

5

Basic Windows components ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚

Windows menus controls and control panels dialogue boxes cursors

6

Types of windows ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚

Scrollable windows Split windows Tiled windows Overlapping windows Pop-up Windows Floating palette windows

7

Metaphor concept Contents ❚ What are metaphors? ❚ Why use metaphors? ❚ Problems and advantages ❚ Why ‘room’ metaphor?

8

What are metaphors? ❚ Verbal metaphors ❚ virtual interface metaphors ❚ Composite metaphors

9

Problems and advantages ❚ Problems with poorly designed metaphors: ❙ can cause conceptual problems and frustration ❙ may elicit inappropriate action

❚ Advantages of well designed metaphors: ❙ users easily develop mental models ❙ pictorial representations of real objects

10