William H. Bowers – Menus: The Pedagogic Vector Cooper 27

William H. Bowers – Agenda Command Line Interfaces Command Line Interfaces Sequential Hierarchical Menus Sequential Hierarchical Menus The Lotus Interface The Lotus Interface Drop-down and Pop-up Menus Drop-down and Pop-up Menus Menus Today Menus Today

William H. Bowers – Command Line Interfaces 1970’s era mainframes used batch processing 1970’s era mainframes used batch processing –Punch cards –JCL Early minicomputers Early minicomputers –Command line –Real time interface

William H. Bowers – Sequential Hierarchical Menus Lists of choices Lists of choices Each choice brings up another list Each choice brings up another list Removed the requirement to memorize commands Removed the requirement to memorize commands Somewhat tedious to step through Somewhat tedious to step through

William H. Bowers – The Lotus Interface Visible hierarchical menus Visible hierarchical menus Allowed user to remain in visible program area while accessing commands Allowed user to remain in visible program area while accessing commands Allowed direct entry of commands Allowed direct entry of commands

William H. Bowers – Drop-down and Pop-up Menus Overlaps and obscures screen Overlaps and obscures screen Leaves original screen untouched Leaves original screen untouched Helped flatter hierarchies Helped flatter hierarchies

William H. Bowers – Menus Today Modified by two new idioms Modified by two new idioms –Direct manipulation –Toolbars Menu commands Menu commands –Provide better descriptions –Allows easy cancellation of commands –Facilitates learning –Include shortcuts

William H. Bowers – Questions & Discussion