Do you know the Answer?
• A prisoner has three choices for his punishment. He can enter a room full
of fire, a tank full of sharks, or a cave full of lions who haven't eaten in
three years. Which should he choose?
• (Answer: The lions — they would have died long ago without eating for so long)
User Interfaces
Information Technology
Lesson Objectives
By the End of the lesson students should be able to:
• Define correctly, the term user interface
• Differentiate the Two Categories of User Interfaces
• Give Examples of each category
Categories of User Interface
HARDWARE Software
∙ Touch Screens ∙ Command-line Interfaces
∙ Special Keyboards ∙ Graphical User Interfaces
∙ Qwerty Keyboards ∙ Menu-driven Interfaces
∙ Game Consoles ∙ Touch User Interface
Hardware interface
• Hardware interfaces are devices with additional features that will make the
interaction between the user and the computer system much easier.
• These include: the computer mouse, pointing devices, keypads, keyboards
(Specialized Keyboards and qwerty Keyboards) and Touch Screens.
E-textbook Reference: Pg 31
HARDWARE INTERFACE
Braille kindle (TUI) QWERTY Keyboard
Keypad
Touchpad (TUI) Light Pen (pointing device)
Software Interface
• This type of interface is intangible and is usually available after the computer has
started. Let’s look at the types of software interfaces.
E-textbook Reference: Pg 31
Command-line interface
• A Command-line interface is a user interface where the user issues commands
to the computer in the form of successive lines of text (command lines).
• A program which handles the interface is called a command language interpreter
or shell. Microsoft disk operating system (MS-DOS) utilized a command line
interface.
Menu-driven interface
• A Menu Driven Interface is a type of user interface that lets a user interact with
a computer or device by working your way through a series of menus. A lot of
ATMS utilize a Menu-Driven Interface
• There are two types of menus
• Drop down menu- Users get options displayed in a vertical
• List that may have horizontal dividers and links to submenus
• Pop up Menu- The menu is displayed when the user positions
• the mouse over an object and clicks or activates the menu.
Touch User Interface
• A touch user interface (TUI) is a computer-pointing technology based upon the sense of
touch.
• Whereas a graphical user interface (GUI) relies upon the sense of sight, a TUI enables the
sense of touch to activate computer-based functions.
• It allows the user, particularly those with visual impairments, an added level of interaction
based upon tactile or braille input.
• Tui’s are not limited to use by just visually impaired persons but are also used by the
sighted.
• Microsoft windows 10 has a version that utilizes a touch user interface. All of Microsoft
touch enabled devices utilize a TUI. All touch screen devices utilize a TUI for example
android and apple devices.
Windows Surface Tablet
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
The Graphical User Interface is a type of user interface that allows users to
interact with electronic devices through windows, icons, menus and pointers
(wimp).
EXAMPLES OF GUI
Review Questions
1. What is the importance of a user interface?
2. State the two categories of user interfaces.
3. Identify three (3) examples of each category.
4. Differentiate Between the GUI and the Menu-Driven Interface; Are there any
Similarities?
5. Name an operating system or electronic device that utilizes all of the Software
based user Interfaces.
