Showing papers on "User Friendly published in 1994"

User-Friendly Self-Deception

Abstract: Since many varieties of self-deception are ineradicable and useful, it would be wise to be ambivalent about at least some of its forms.1 It is open-eyed ambivalence that acknowledges its own dualities rather than ordinary shifty vacillation that we need. To be sure, self-deception remains dangerous: sensible ambivalence should not relax vigilance against pretence and falsity, combating irrationality and obfuscation wherever they occur.

Internet tools in the medical classroom.

Abstract: Summary: The Internet contains a vast amount of medically relevant information. In order to access this information, however, many networks require one to master applications written in UNIX, an operating system considered by many not to be user friendly. Although these tools may be available on the campus, it is difficult to teach their use unless there is some immediate benefit to the already busy user. From that standpoint, it is important for instructors to realize that common UNIX applications can be utilized as classroom tools to significantly enhance the learning experience by facilitating teacher/student communication. Also, whilst the student enjoys greater communication with the instructor (and with other students) he/she is also becoming adept at using information management tools.

Software for data collection and processing

Abstract: Future generations will without a doubt refer to the last part of the 20th century as the computer revolution. The first PCs were very simple and slow, and in those days no one would have predicted that PCs would take over most tasks from the mainframe computers. Software is the necessary tool to make computers do anything. Without the proper software the most expensive and sophisticated computer will be useless. But with the growing number of people using PCs the need for simple and ‘user friendly’ software arose. The first important change toward the user was the introduction of the Apple Macintosh (1984), which introduced the desktop metaphor. This is a so called graphical user interface (GUI). The availability of very cheap computing power, the miniaturization of computers and the introduction of GUIs has had a tremendous influence upon the way we work and upon the way we collect and handle our data. In this chapter the discussion will be limited to the application of personal computers in sensory analysis with special reference to data collection and processing.

Cruising the Internet Highway: A Wealth of Information for Interior Design Educators

Abstract: ISSUE: A diversity of useful electronic information is available to interior design educators on the Internet. APPLICATION: Interior design educators and practitioners can use their computers and terminals to find electronically stored information that is useful for lectures and presentations, course reading materials, advising, research, and travel. GOAL: The Internet may be used to improve the efficiency of acquiring information for teaching and research. DESCRIPTION: The Internet is a vast electronic network that has been developing for the last 20 years and it is becoming more user-friendly with more data useful to design and education than in years past. It is becoming a very valuable information source for educators from all disciplines, and it is free through most school computer networks. CONCLUSION: Learning how to use the Internet can save a teacher time, money, and energy. An electronic search through the world's finest libraries takes hours instead of days and can reveal references that might be missed in a manual search. To find travel information an educator can sit in an office and search on-line data bases. There is no need to walk or drive to the library. Telecommuting can become a reality, leaving more time for interaction with students. Summary Interior designers within the university community need to keep in step with today's changing technology as we move ahead into the twenty-first entury. The Internet is one area of technology that has the potential to improve the job environment and performance of all educators. Email messages and text files can be sent to research colleagues and friends in other parts of the United States and in other countries with no cost and very little time (minutes instead of days). In three to five minutes a listing of scheduled art exhibits of a museum can be downloaded and run off for students. Electronic pictures can be obtained for multimedia presentations within 30 minute. In the future even faster ways to gather information from the Internet will be provided. There is a down side to using the Internet. Often university systems become so clogged with users that logging on to explore is impossible. Occasionally remote systems “hang (stop working) and an explorer has to restart a search. The learning curve is steep, especially for people who have little experience with computers. It is an understatement to say that the system is not yet user friendly. In addition, there are so many servers on line that it is sometimes difficult to find the one with needed information. Figure 4 lists a menu of server locations. Selecting number 6, “California Gophers, revealed 114 server sites. This diversity, however, is also an indicator of the value of the Internet. The enormous body of information already available makes learning to access the Internet a very valuable tool for knowledge acquisition.

User-friendly workbook and ASP tutorial to accompany Statistics : concepts and applications

Abstract: Introduction 1. Goals of the book 2. Idiosyncrasies 3. Cutting and fitting 4. A word about ASP 5. Answers to exercises.

User-Friendly Design Concept and Americans with Disabilities Act: Implications for the Architectural and Rehabilitation Communities

Abstract: Survey forms were sent to the 113 architecture programs listed in the Guide to Architecture Schools in North America to determine the amount of focus on user-friendly design in their curricula. Eighty-four percent of the programs surveyed completed the form. The results indicate that only eight percent of the programs offer a specific course on the topic of user-friendly design, whereas, forty-five percent offer a course in which user-friendly design is covered as a sub-topic. Implications of the results for the architectural community and the rehabilitation community in relation to the Americans with Disabilities Act are presented.

Water quality modelling within the raison expert system

Abstract: The RAISON (Regional Analysis by Intelligent Systems ON a microcomputer) system is a multimedia environmental data analysis tool-kit that contains a fully integrated database management system, spreadsheet, G.I.S., graphics, statistics, modelling and expert system modules as well as a programming language that allows the user to create specialized applications. This paper presents case studies of modelling applications which illustrate the utility of the system in assisting the users of water quality models to make the models more user friendly. This is accomplished through the use of added visualization of inputs and auxiliary information as well as on-line knowledge added. This system also enables the user to represent model results in numerous graphical forms as well as animated results presented on maps. In addition, it has the ability to interface models with expert systems to aid in the selection and use of models and in the interpretation of results.

Automation of the birth registry log book.

Abstract: If available resources are limited, a computer novice with basic computer skills can develop and implement an electronic database management system. Commitment and determination to automate manual record keeping of birth registry data are crucial. Some of the database software systems available today were designed to be user friendly. Product reviews published in personal computer magazines will assist an end user to find such user-friendly programs. Once a system is selected and implemented, data can be easily retrieved and used for simple to advanced database functions. Hospital statistics, state-required maternity statistical reports, and research, quality assurance/quality improvement, staffing justification, market research, and critical path variance reports will benefit from the wide array of data manipulation techniques.

A gis multi-criteria expert decision support system for water resources management

Abstract: This research documents how the engineering community can effectively transfer their knowledge to enhance the quality of water resources decision-making through the use of computers. It shows that it is effective for modern engineering technologists to actively participate in the social and political processes. It also demonstrates the use of new engineering technologies and tools such as GIS, Expert Systems, and Decision Support Systems, and their applicability to solving water resources problems. This dissertation presents a Decision Support System developed to evaluate different cropping pattern strategies used in the Eastern Nile Delta of Egypt. The computer-based Decision Support System uses a Geographical Information System to support the decision making through visualization and multi-criteria evaluation. A detailed logic for an Expert System was developed to perform the decision making process based upon information obtained from numerous experts involved in the decision making process for water resources management issues in the study area. An unbiased procedure was implemented to give environmental, ecological, economical, political, and social weights to the experts and to their multi-criteria procedures for evaluating water management strategies. A powerful user friendly interface was developed to provide the communication tool linking the decision maker's interaction with the database, the Geographical Information System, and the Expert System. The Decision Support System enables the user to view the impacts on different parameters, such as soil salinities and evapo-transpiration, due to implementing a certain water use strategy. The parameters are obtained from a simulation model for irrigation and drainage in Egypt and are stored in a database used by the Decision Support System. A graphical user interface is provided for the user to select between strategies and compare impacts of different strategies on water usages and crop production. The user can select to simultaneously view more than one strategy on the computer screen for comparison purposes. He can also view the short and long term effects of a particular strategy on a parameter by showing its distribution at successive time steps. The Decision Support System is developed using PDC PROLOG as a programming language, and it is coupled with IDRISI as a Geographic Information System tool. Every effort has been made to make it a user friendly tool for decision makers.

Books-Received - Practical Astronomy - a User-Friendly Handbook for Skywatchers

Abstract: This practical manual provides essential material for the extensive world-wide community of non-professional astronomers. Every page of the book is alive with the infectious enthusiasm of the author whose expertise, knowledge and teaching experience provides easy access to the fascination and enjoyment of sky-watching. Contents: Foreword by Dr. Heather Couper ? The Celestial Sphere ? The Sun and Sundials ? Star Positions, Star Maps, Planispheres and Nomograms ? Light and Basic Optics ? Miscellaneous Calculations ? Appendices and Useful Information ? Index. Commendations: Excellent basic material for assembling practical and experimental projects easily conducted at home. Many of the ideas are original and well presented with simple instructions and perfectly clear illustrations. Spaceflight Magazine A unique compendium of do-it-yourself projects and a vast store of general astronomical information. Get this book, and revel in the good things in it. British Astronomical Associat

User Interface Quality and Evaluating Ease of Use

Abstract: The evaluation of user interface quality may be important to everyone for different reasons. It is not easy to judge usability in general, and learnability in particular, objectively, however; both can have a dramatic effect on user performances. In this paper, problems in evaluation have been considered. Some solutions are suggested and a mathematical technique to measure learning times is included.