Tag Archives: interface
Understanding Windows 8
Windows 8 made its breakthrough debut in 2012, bringing about in its wake, mixed reactions because of its uniqueness and entirely different style.
If you’re used to the previous versions of Windows, it would take some getting used to, but as with any new interface, it takes only a few minutes to gain your bearings and figure out where things are and how to accomplish tasks. You can get Windows 8 Support from Microsoft in their Help and Support website.
The most noticeable difference would be at the Start menu. The screen brings about the new touch-oriented Start screen, new apps, new interface conventions, leaving some of the more experienced PC users a little confused.
Although a little overwhelming, cheat sheets have already made their introduction to equip you and help you get the most out of Microsoft’s latest release.
The Start Screen
The Start screen apps are displayed in a fairly random order, but if you’d prefer them to be more organized, it’s best to sort them into custom groups.
You can drag People, Mail, Messaging and Calendar over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate ‘People’ group. Click the ‘minimize’ icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you’ll now find you can drag and drop the new group (or any of the others) around as a block. Right-click within the block (while still zoomed out) and you’ll also be able to give the group a name, which – if you go on to add another 20 or 30 apps to your Start screen – will make it much easier to find the tools you need.
On a regular desktop, though, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards. You can also use the keyboard. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, and then use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, tapping Enter to select it. Press the Windows key to return to the Start screen; right-click (or swipe down on) apps you don’t need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to organize them as you like.
Align your settings
Windows 8 also links your Windows ID, and pulls in information from SkyDrive, Xbox, Hotmail/Outlook and all the other cloud services the company is pushing.
Built in Apps
A rather unique creation would be the touchscreen interface. Some question how that would be possible on a desktop or a laptop. The answer would be to use the keyboard instead.
Knowing the keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8 will make it easier for you to navigate the system. Win+C brings up the Charms bar, for example, while pressing the Windows key on its own switches between the desktop and the Start page. Another useful tip: hit Ctrl+Tab on the Start page to switch to the ‘All apps’ view.
File History
A real savior on backup. Now, you dont have to worry about losing your important files and documents because Windows 8 keeps a track of previous versions of your important files, which can be a lifesaver if you accidentally delete or lose a document.
You would have to however, manually activate the File Saver from the System and Security section of Control Panel. You would also need a second hard drive -external, internal or networked.
Simpler shutdown
Shutting down the PC is the same as in previous Windows versions, but with Windows 8, rather than opening the Charms bar, and going through the regular process of selecting the Power button and then selecting Shut Down, you can now simply press Alt+F4 while viewing the desktop. Then press Enter to shut down the PC or choose an alternative option from the drop-down menu.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these trendy presentations will just keep on the increase since Windows 8 will eventually have a successor as well, perhaps Windows 9 in 2014 or 2015. It has been rumored that A Windows Blue is in the works for 2013.
Windows 8 tutorials can be found on my Windows 8 How-To’s, Tutorials, and Walkthroughs page. It would also be helpful to know that many remote online technical assistance services offer comprehensive Windows 8 support, as and when needed.
Understanding Windows 8
Windows 8 made its breakthrough debut in 2012, bringing about in its wake, mixed reactions because of its uniqueness and entirely different style.
If you’re used to the previous versions of Windows, it would take some getting used to, but as with any new interface, it takes only a few minutes to gain your bearings and figure out where things are and how to accomplish tasks. You can get Windows 8 Support from Microsoft in their Help and Support website.
The most noticeable difference would be at the Start menu. The screen brings about the new touch-oriented Start screen, new apps, new interface conventions, leaving some of the more experienced PC users a little confused.
Although a little overwhelming, cheat sheets have already made their introduction to equip you and help you get the most out of Microsoft’s latest release.
The Start Screen
The Start screen apps are displayed in a fairly random order, but if you’d prefer them to be more organized, it’s best to sort them into custom groups.
You can drag People, Mail, Messaging and Calendar over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate ‘People’ group. Click the ‘minimize’ icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you’ll now find you can drag and drop the new group (or any of the others) around as a block. Right-click within the block (while still zoomed out) and you’ll also be able to give the group a name, which – if you go on to add another 20 or 30 apps to your Start screen – will make it much easier to find the tools you need.
On a regular desktop, though, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards. You can also use the keyboard. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, and then use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, tapping Enter to select it. Press the Windows key to return to the Start screen; right-click (or swipe down on) apps you don’t need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to organize them as you like.
Align your settings
Windows 8 also links your Windows ID, and pulls in information from SkyDrive, Xbox, Hotmail/Outlook and all the other cloud services the company is pushing.
Built in Apps
A rather unique creation would be the touchscreen interface. Some question how that would be possible on a desktop or a laptop. The answer would be to use the keyboard instead.
Knowing the keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8 will make it easier for you to navigate the system. Win+C brings up the Charms bar, for example, while pressing the Windows key on its own switches between the desktop and the Start page. Another useful tip: hit Ctrl+Tab on the Start page to switch to the ‘All apps’ view.
File History
A real savior on backup. Now, you dont have to worry about losing your important files and documents because Windows 8 keeps a track of previous versions of your important files, which can be a lifesaver if you accidentally delete or lose a document.
You would have to however, manually activate the File Saver from the System and Security section of Control Panel. You would also need a second hard drive -external, internal or networked.
Simpler shutdown
Shutting down the PC is the same as in previous Windows versions, but with Windows 8, rather than opening the Charms bar, and going through the regular process of selecting the Power button and then selecting Shut Down, you can now simply press Alt+F4 while viewing the desktop. Then press Enter to shut down the PC or choose an alternative option from the drop-down menu.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these trendy presentations will just keep on the increase since Windows 8 will eventually have a successor as well, perhaps Windows 9 in 2014 or 2015. It has been rumored that A Windows Blue is in the works for 2013.
Windows 8 tutorials can be found on my Windows 8 How-To’s, Tutorials, and Walkthroughs page. It would also be helpful to know that many remote online technical assistance services offer comprehensive Windows 8 support, as and when needed.
How a good application interface design promotes a software's success
A nice-looking, functional and straightforward software application interface can easily make the distinction between a product´s failure or success. This sounds more than logical, nevertheless interface layout and testing is often being disregarded by both large and small application producers. If an end-user finds a user interface being not as much as logical, difficult to understand and not comfortable to work with, then a product that may have been outstanding, is bound to failure.
The primary Purpose of Any Graphical user interface
When coming up with a software application graphical user interface, the main factor to consider is its common approval by end-users. In the end, end users would like to carry out their tasks as quickly and simply as possible, as well as the interface is simply a tool to achieve that goal. Therefore, any application developer must ensure that the final software program product includes a visually appealing, flexible and straightforward to utilize interface.
However, many IT companies tend to pay little focus on the rules and methods needed to design an excellent graphical user interface. “The only goal is that the program works!” is apparently their motto. Though this viewpoint, they’re disregarding the countless inconveniences and issues that they’re causing for the end-users of their products. When a visual program obliges an individual to continuously consult the guide manual, it is time to improve the interface design. Likewise, frequent need of assistance to have the ability to work with an interface is a clear indicator of an inflexible application product which drastically decreases efficiency, as users need more hours and attention to execute their tasks.
The Golden Rules of a User-Friendly Application Interface Design
Thankfully, a clumsy interface can easily be improved and avoided through using some simple ground rules ? Five Golden Rules to develop a nice, professional and straightforward application graphical user interface.
Consistency. An excellent graphical user interface need to let users to execute the same series of actions in the same situation, as well as the terminology used all through menus, windows and dialog boxes ought to be steady.
Speed. Frequent users should be able to work with shortcuts, to increase the interaction speed. Key blends, hidden commands, etc. are extremely helpful to skilled people.
Feedback. Each and every action ought to be followed by some kind of system feedback, for example short messages.
Aesthetics. A good looking graphical user interface improves end-user satisfaction because it makes the user experience much more pleasant.
Action reversal. An excellent user interface should not punish its end users for their mistakes. Instead, it ought to offer them the choice to undo their actions, for instance via the typical Undo button. In this way, users will be more relaxed while doing work and tend to discover more of the product´s options.
In addition to these Golden Principles for the design of a flexible and user friendly application interface, it is advisable to keep in mind some other aspects of a professional and flexible user interface. For instance, enabling users to get in data by means of checkboxes as well as dropdown menus, rather than being forced to enter all information manually, greatly makes easier any task. Yet another helpful element is adding dialog boxes that guide the users through the actions needed to carry out a task, and even cautious choice of icons along with other images helps to turn a steep learning curve into a short and delicate slope.
In this regard, more simple aspects such as spelling as well as grammar should be paid attention to. After all, badly-written guidelines prevents or perhaps hinder some tasks or actions, plus they certainly reflect an awful picture of both the application developers as well as the development firm.
To Software Excellence
Simply speaking, any organization that aims to stand out from the competition with professional programs of decent quality, need to pay special attention to the aspects of usability and adaptability of the software application’s graphical user interface, as these are really important and decisive aspects in software excellence.