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User Interface Design and Ergonomics - National Open University of ...

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Operating System. It is easy for a user to manipulate a window: it can be opened <strong>and</strong><br />

closed by clicking on an icon or application, <strong>and</strong> it can be moved to any area by dragging<br />

it (that is, by clicking in a certain area <strong>of</strong> the window – usually the title bar along the<br />

tops – <strong>and</strong> keeping the pointing device's button pressed, then moving the pointing<br />

device). A window can be placed in front or behind another window, its size can be<br />

adjusted, <strong>and</strong> scrollbars can be used to navigate the sections within it. Multiple windows<br />

can also be open at one time, in which case each window can display a different<br />

application or file – this is very useful when working in a multitasking environment. The<br />

system memory is the only limitation to the amount <strong>of</strong> windows that can be open at once.<br />

There are also many types <strong>of</strong> specialized windows.<br />

A Container Window a window that is opened while invoking the icon <strong>of</strong> a mass<br />

storage device, or directory or folder <strong>and</strong> which is presenting an ordered list <strong>of</strong> other<br />

icons that could be again some other directories, or data files or maybe even executable<br />

programs. All modern container windows could present their content on screen either<br />

acting as browser windows or text windows. Their behaviour can automatically change<br />

according to the choices <strong>of</strong> the single users <strong>and</strong> their preferred approach to the graphical<br />

user interface.<br />

A browser window allows the user to move forward <strong>and</strong> backwards through a sequence<br />

<strong>of</strong> documents or web pages. Web browsers are an example <strong>of</strong> these types <strong>of</strong> windows.<br />

Text terminal windows are designed for embedding interaction with text user interfaces<br />

within the overall graphical interface. MS-DOS <strong>and</strong> UNIX consoles are examples <strong>of</strong><br />

these types <strong>of</strong> windows.<br />

A child window opens automatically or as a result <strong>of</strong> a user activity in a parent window.<br />

Pop-up windows on the Internet can be child windows.<br />

A message window, or dialog box, is a type <strong>of</strong> child window. These are usually small<br />

<strong>and</strong> basic windows that are opened by a program to display information to the user <strong>and</strong>/or<br />

get information from the user. They usually have a button that must be pushed before the<br />

program can be resumed.<br />

b. Menus<br />

Menus allow the user to execute comm<strong>and</strong>s by selecting from a list <strong>of</strong> choices. Options<br />

are selected with a mouse or other pointing device within a GUI. A keyboard may also be<br />

used. Menus are convenient because they show what comm<strong>and</strong>s are available within the<br />

s<strong>of</strong>tware. This limits the amount <strong>of</strong> documentation the user reads to underst<strong>and</strong> the<br />

s<strong>of</strong>tware.<br />

A menu bar is displayed horizontally across the top <strong>of</strong> the screen <strong>and</strong>/or along the tops<br />

<strong>of</strong> some or all windows. A pull-down menu is commonly associated with this menu type.<br />

When a user clicks on a menu option the pull-down menu will appear.<br />

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