William H. Bowers – Window Behaviors Cooper 25

William H. Bowers – Agenda Windowing History Windowing History PARC’s Principles PARC’s Principles Multipaned Windows Multipaned Windows Unnecessary Windows Unnecessary Windows

William H. Bowers – Agenda Necessary Windows Necessary Windows Windows Pollution Windows Pollution Window States Window States MDI vs. SDI MDI vs. SDI

William H. Bowers – Windowing History Xerox PARC Alto Xerox PARC Alto –Mid 1970’s –First GUI –Designed for networked PC’s –WYSIWYG –Introduced mouse, windows, scrollbars, pushbuttons, desktop metaphor, drop down menus

William H. Bowers – Windowing History Alto, later Star Alto, later Star –Expensive, slow, complex, commercial failures Key employees went to Apple, Microsoft Key employees went to Apple, Microsoft Lisa Lisa –Apple’s initial venture –Expensive ($9,995 in 1983)

William H. Bowers – PARC’s Principles Visual metaphors Visual metaphors Avoiding modes Avoiding modes Overlapping windows Overlapping windows Microsoft’s contributions Microsoft’s contributions –Full screen applications –Tiled windows

William H. Bowers – Multipaned Windows Multiple views in one application Multiple views in one application –Independent information –Reduces navigation, window management –Web page frames Stacked panes, tabs Stacked panes, tabs

William H. Bowers – Unnecessary Windows Don’t add windows (forms) unless needed Don’t add windows (forms) unless needed “A dialog box is another room. Have a good reason to go there.” “A dialog box is another room. Have a good reason to go there.” Function controls on a separate page Function controls on a separate page Overuse of dialogs Overuse of dialogs

William H. Bowers – Necessary Windows Functions outside of normal events Functions outside of normal events –Purge database –File import –Program customization / setup Modal dialogs are OK since they return to the calling window Modal dialogs are OK since they return to the calling window

William H. Bowers – Windows Pollution Bundling too much functionality in one place Bundling too much functionality in one place Break up into smaller groups Break up into smaller groups Use tabs Use tabs

William H. Bowers – Window States Minimized Minimized –Shrunk to icon –Application is placed on toolbar Maximized Maximized –Full screen Restored Restored –In between full screen and icon

William H. Bowers – Why Minimize? Reduce screen clutter Reduce screen clutter Allow viewing of desktop Allow viewing of desktop Can access through Alt-Tab Can access through Alt-Tab Accessed through toolbar Accessed through toolbar

William H. Bowers – Why Use In Between Sizes? Drag and drop between programs Drag and drop between programs Viewing multiple applications simultaneously Viewing multiple applications simultaneously

William H. Bowers – MDI vs. SDI MDI MDI –Multiple instances of similar windows –Windows are automatically related SDI SDI –Independent windows

William H. Bowers – Questions & Discussion