Human Computer Interfaces

Human Computer Interfaces

1. Command Line

   • Commands must be typed correctly and in the right order or the command will not work.
   • command driver programs do not need to run in windows
   • A command-line interface can run many programs, for example a batch file could launch half a dozen programs to do its task.
   • An inexperienced user can sometimes find a command driven program difficult to use because of the number of commands that have to be learnt.
   • Experienced users who know the commands can work very quickly without having to find their way around menus.

2. A Good User Interface should:

   • be attractive and pleasing to the eye
   • allow the user to try out different options easily
   • be easy to use
   • use suitable colours for key areas
   • use words that are easy to understand aimed at the type of user
   • have help documentation

3. menu driven interfaces include:

   • they are easy to use as the user does not have to remember sets of commands
   • they are user friendly - you can often guess your way around the options
   • they can be irritating if there are too many levels of menus to move around - with a command-line interface you can go to the option required immediately

4. Graphical user interfaces

   • They are much easier to use for beginners.
   • They enable you to easily exchange information between software using cut and paste or 'drag and drop'.
   • They use a lot of memory and processing power. It can be slower to use than a command-line interface if you are an expert user.
   • They can be irritating to experienced users when simple tasks require a number of operations.