kempf@tci.bell-atl.com (Cory Kempf) (12/20/89)
casseres@apple.com (David Casseres) writes: >In article <JACOBS.89Dec18090720@cmos.cs.utah.edu> jacobs@cs.utah.edu >(Steven R. Jacobs) writes: >> ...An ideal system should >> allow the user to use _either_ the mouse or the keyboard, based on the >> preference of the user. >This may be so, but the expense of developing two user interfaces for one >system would be rather high. You might want to look into Motif. A properly written Motif application (i.e. one that follows the Motif style guide) can be completely accessed via either the mouse or the keyboard. Completely. And it doesn't take much more effort than creating menu command-keys on a Mac. 1. Ideally, an application should be completely accessable from the mouse. 2. Ideally, an application should be completely accessable from the keyboard. 3. Ideally, an application should be completely intuitive to someone who has not used that application before. 4. Ideally, knowledge of one application written to a given user interface should be transferable to all applications written to that interface. 5. Ideally, reading a manual should not be necessary to use the application. None of these statements are in conflict. Mac applications usually succeed in the first, and can only partially do the second (although some do manage to succeed in the second point, it is not standard). MS-Window/PM applications can succeed in both the first and the second, as can Motif. While I have not used the Amiga much, what little I did see of it, it was able to achieve the first and the second only by providing completely duplicated interfaces. Unfortunately, this does not allow for incrimental user knowledge improvements (i.e. once a fair amount of familiarity with an application/system is gained, the user will then begin to use keyboard accelerators / command keys). This may be out of date... my knowledge of the Amiga is about two years out of date. The third through the fifth are a result of UI design and the Style guide. Motif and the Mac both have a Style Guide. Applications written to the style guide will share the same "feel" ("look" is a function of the graphics code). If the UI is designed properly, the third through fifth points are achieved. MS-Windows/PM (at least last time I worked with them -- about a year ago) did not do a style guide. Without a Style Guide, UI designers must guess at what the proper "feel" is. Notice the groping that Mac developers go through when extending the UI. +C -- Cory Kempf Technology Concepts phone: (508) 443-7311 x341 uucp: {anywhere}!uunet!tci!kempf, kempf@tci.bell-atl.com DISCLAIMER: TCI is not responsible for my opinions, nor I for theirs