6. USER INTERFACES.pdf

User Interfaces A user interface is the means in which a user interacts with a computer system. There are two main types of user interfaces: Software user interfaces and Hardware user interfaces. Software user interfaces:  Graphical User Interface (GUI)  Command Lin...

User Interfaces A user interface is the means in which a user interacts with a computer system. There are two main types of user interfaces: Software user interfaces and Hardware user interfaces. Software user interfaces:  Graphical User Interface (GUI)  Command Line Interface (CLI)  Menu-driven User Interface Hardware user interfaces:  Touch User Interface  Specialized Keyboards  Speech and Sound Interfaces Software User Interfaces A GUI (graphical user interface) is a set of interactive visual components which display objects that convey information and represent actions that can be taken by the user. GUI objects include icons, cursors, and buttons. These graphical elements are sometimes enhanced with sounds, or visual effects like transparency and drop shadows. A GUI is considered to be more user-friendly than a text-based command-line interface, such as MS-DOS, or the shell of Unix-like operating systems. For example, Windows, Linux, IOS, Word, Excel, Access etc. are all software that has a GUI. A Command Line Interface (CLI) is a command line program that accepts text input to execute operating system functions. In the early stages of computers this was the only way to interact with computers. Today, with graphical user interfaces (GUI), most users never use command-line interfaces (CLI). However, CLI is still used by software developers, network administrators to configure and test networks and system administrators to configure computers, install software, and access features that are not available in the graphical interface. MS-DOS is an example of a CLI. Menu driven interfaces use menus to show the user available commands. When the user selects a command from the menu it can run a command or open another menu. Menu driven interfaces are easy to use as the user does not have to remember sets of commands and they can be usually navigated easily. If there are too many levels of menus to move around it may be difficult for users to locate the specific command they are looking for. For example, ATMs use a menu driven interface to access account information, withdrawals and deposits. Hardware User Interfaces Touch user interfaces work by detecting your finger touching the screen and translating the sensor information into instructions. As well as tapping, the screen can sense swiping, pinching and other actions. Touch user interfaces are usually easy to use and can be used by people of all ages. They can be found on many mobile devices such as a smart phone or a tablet computer as well as a part of larger devices such as newer model ATM’s etc. Specialized keyboards make it easier for users to perform a task or use specific systems. They have special features that make them suitable to a particular application. These features may include:  extra keys for added functionality  a reduced set of keys that only include the keys needed for the system  added tactile features for example Braille dots to allow visually impaired users to use the keyboard. Speech and Sound Interfaces Interaction is by speech using normal everyday language in order to interact with the computer. Usually found in smartphones (virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa), car entertainment and navigation systems.