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WorksheetsUser Interfaces and Application Software
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 9mins
When looking at performance of application software you should consider
The age or maturity of the software. Is it tried and tested with bugs repaired / resolved
Will it work with other devices and / or systems? Is it interoperable?
Can it beat me in a 500 m sprint race or not?
Does it support specialist / dedicated hardware for complex tasks?
Proprietary Software
Is where the source code is owned by the software company
Can be customised to suit your business needs
Has a network of people working together to improve it in a community offering each other support
Is free of charge
h
Open Source Software
The source code is freely available to use
Can be very expensive
The source code is freely available to modify
Will have fast response to issues when they arise
Application Software includes
Productivity Software
Utilities Software
Graphics / Creativity Software
Communicatins Software
Command Line Interfaces
Require the user to type commands in response to prompts displayed on the screen
Require a mouse to select objects from a menu
Require the use of a touch screen to select icons
Work with a printer to tell the user what to do
With Command Line Interfaces [blank] users find it quicker to complete tasks.
(a)
Which of the following are true about Command Line Interfaces?
Requires knowledge of the specific commands for performing functions
It requires far less memory and processing than a GUI
It uses a lot of graphics to help visualise the commands
It can be intimidating for less experienced users as there are so many commands to learn
A Graphical User Interface allows users to interact with the device by using a pointer or [blank] screen to select icons and menus displayed on the screen.
(a)
Which of the following are true about GUI?
This simple, interactive and intuitive method of interaction is easier for beginners to computers
Users have to learn lots of commands to type in to execute programs
It is often resource intensive requiring a lot of processing power and memory
There are usually options to adapt the interface for specific needs of users e.g. magnifiers, colours and font sizes
Menu Based Interfaces
Users interact using a simple menu that presents options to choose from e.g. a Cash Machine or ATM
Users interact by connecting their phone through bluetooth to select starters
Users interact by selecting icons on the screen to choose their main course
Users interact using emojis to express their thoughts about the menu
Which of the following are true of Menu Driven Interfaces
There is a limited number of options which makes it easy to use
It is often possible to figure out how to perform tasks without much instruction
They can include options to adapt the interface to meet the needs of individuals e.g. speech output or large text size
Performing tasks can be slow and frustrating where many levels of options must be navigated
When choosing software what factors should you consider?
Ease of Use and Familiarity
Reliability - it should do what is it supposed to and be reliable
My dog must like the smell of it
Capability - it must be capable of doing the tasks I want it for effectively
C
