The GUI Style Guide - Softcover

The GUI STYLE GUIDE provides the tools necessary for programmers to write interfaces for a variety of windowing environments. The industry currently has no standards for writing software interfaces, and this book serves that purpose. All of the guidelines are useful to programmers creating IBM mainframe applications, applications for Windows, Macintosh, or embedded systems or pen-based systems. It also explains how to take advantage of object-oriented programming and fourth-generation languages. The guide contains hundreds of easy-to-read, easy-to-follow guidelines for writing the text of user interfaces. Each chapter ends with a list of resources, such as books on related topics, helpful programs, sources of clip art, and so on. Every guideline is backed by research or industry consensus. The book is thoroughly indexed so that readers can find what they need quickly and easily. "Here's a fine reference on how GUI elements work and why, and what you must do to adhere to emerging de facto standards for usability." --PC Techniques "The GUI Style Guide is everything you always needed to know about how to communicate across that flat glass barrier - the computer screen." --Software Managment News Features: * Contains all of the information for designing an effective GUI, such as human factors, color, menu levels, and prototyping * Explains how to create an interface that makes sense to others * Demonstrates similarities between various manufacturers' underlying windowing environments * Covers examples from all sorts of software on as many hardware platforms as possible * Provdies programmers with the necessary tools to write interfaces for a variety of windowing environments. * Includes all of the guidelines necessary for programmers to create any type of windowed application, from IBM CUA mainframe to pen to Macintosh, Motif, NeXt, and Windows systems.