Topic       : TOS - The Operating System
Author      : 
Version     : tos.hyp (December 19, 2008)
Subject     : Programmieren/Atari
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View Ref-File10.2  Style guidelines                                             TOS

If one looks at several GEM applications of the same category, it soon 
becomes clear that some programs are easy to use while others can be 
quite difficult. A text processor such as Papyrus, for instance, will 
surely present few problems to most users; quite in contrast to 
programs such as Signum!2, which brings many users out in a sweat!

Whether a program is easy to use depends greatly on the construction 
of the user interface. This chapter tries to offer some tips on the 
design of user interfaces, and deals with the following points or 
aspects:

   . Dialog boxes
   . Help systems
   . Mouse clicks and shapes
   . Menus and menu bars
   . Visual and acoustic feedback
   . Selections
   . Special effects
   . Key assignments
   . Toolboxes

All software developers are urged to follow the recommendations made 
here or to orient themselves on typical GEM applications. Besides its 
functionality, the acceptability of a program (and hence its sales 
prospects) depend to a large extent on the design of its graphical 
user interface (GUI).

Examples of errors in GUI design or poor user guidance can be found in 
http://www.iarchitect.com/mshame.htm.

See Also: About the AES   About the VDI   GDOS