Operating System

U2M3 Lecture 8 Interface (user)

Objectives
Define what is an interface Explain the purpose of an interface Determine the types of interfaces Adv & Disadv of interfaces Explain Direct Manipulation

Interfaces
An interface is a set of commands or menus through which a user comunicates with a program. The interface is one of the most important parts of any program because it determines how easily you can navigate the program

Interfaces Purpose
The purpose of the interface is to: Input- Allowing users to manipulate a system. Output- Allowing the system to indicate the effects of the users manipulation Generally, the goal of a user interface is to make it easy, efficient and enjoyable to operate a machine in the way which produces the desired result.

Types of Interfaces
There are four (4) types of user interfaces: Menu Command- line Graphical User Interface (GUI) Direct Manipulation Interface

 Menu- This is a user interface that uses options to communicate with the computer. Rather than having a single line where a command must be typed. Command- A command line interface is a means of interaction with a computer program where the user issues commands to the programing the form of a line of text.

GUI- This is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices using images rather than txt commands . Direct manipulation- This involves continuous representation of objects of interest and rapid, reversible and incremental actions and feedback.

Advantages
Advantages of Menu: They are convenient to bundle common commands. They are normally easier to understand. They help inexperienced users to learn easily. Due to their small user interface they are especially good for mobiles.

Advantages of Command: They allow for automation through scripts or batch files Many command can be combined to perform individual tasks on the same problem Users have much more control They only require the keyboard to navigate a command line interface

Advantages of GUI: It is user friendly and speeds up the users work It is more attractive to non-technical persons It looks more professional They have windows which allow users to view, control and manipulate multiple things at once.

Disadvantages
Disadvantages of Menu: If the user doesnt take care of the program or is overly ambitious it can easily become cluttered. They can end up having to many command or sub-menus They are less flexible, the users can only execute actions that are listed

Disadvantages of Command: It requires users to know the command in order for it to be effective. The learning curve is steeper. It may require the need of a manual It is not user friendly

Disadvantages of GUI: They require more system resources because of each element that needs to be loaded. Using a mouse and keyboard to navigate and control your OS makes the program slower than a command line. It might require installation of additional software

Advantages of Direct manipulation: Visually presents tasks Easy to learn Errors can be avoided more easily Encourages exploration

Disadvantages of Direct manipulation: It is more difficult to programme It is not suitable for small graphic displays Visual representations is not always preferable

For direct manipulation:http://www.if.tuwien.ac.at/~silvia/wien/vu-infovis/articles/hutchins_1985_direct-manipulation.pdf www.hitl.washington.edu/scivw/EVE/I.D.2.c.DirectManipulation.html For interfaces:www.interaction-design.org/encyclopedia/interaction_styles.html