Showing papers on "User Friendly published in 1997"

User friendly remote system interface providing previews of applications

Abstract: A user friendly remote interface system which provides previews in a GUI and viewing environment for a computer user is disclosed. Upon highlighting a selection on a menu, the system accesses and displays a description of the selection stored apart from the selection without having to retrieve into memory the entire application corresponding to a selection. The description may include text, audio, and video descriptions of the selection. Further, the description may be independent from the content contained within the application.

The Coming Downsizing of Real Estate: Implications of Technology

Abstract: Executive Summary. Currently there is explosive growth in the availability of databases that may be merged to create “user friendly” real estate-related market information and services. A reduction...

A Guide to Microsoft Excel for Scientists and Engineers

Abstract: From the Publisher: This book provides scientists and engineers with an introductory look at the tools available to them in Microsoft Excel. It provides valuable information on the more technical functions of Microsoft Excel in a user friendly style.

Guide to Microsoft Excel for Scientists and Engineers

Abstract: From the Publisher: This book provides scientists and engineers with an introductory look at the tools available to them in Microsoft Excel. It provides valuable information on the more technical functions of Microsoft Excel in a user friendly style.

Visualizing power system operations in an open market

Abstract: All players in the US electricity industry must understand how specific generation decisions, wheeling arrangements, and legislative initiatives affect system operations. This article features PowerWorld, a comprehensive power system simulation package developed to help meet this need. The package is designed for the many new players in the power industry who will never operate an actual system but who must have a basic understanding of its operations. The package, which runs in the Microsoft Windows environment, is user friendly, interactive, and menu driven. It effectively uses visualization techniques to present the basics of power system operations and control simply, yet also with a level of detail to accurately model large-scale systems realistically and with the appropriate level of fidelity. The package has been demonstrated to policy makers, legislative analysts, small and large utilities, and regulatory decision makers both nationally and internationally. It has been found to be a very effective tool for communicating the many technical and economic impacts of third-party access.

User-friendly systems instead of user-friendly front-ends

Abstract: Most commercial online retrieval systems are not designed to service end users and, therefore, have often built “front-ends” to their systems specifically to serve the end-user market. These front-ends have not been well accepted, mostly because the underlying systems are still difficult for end users to use successfully in searching. New techniques, based on statistical methods, that allow natural language input and return lists of records in order of likely relevance, have long been available from research laboratories. This article presents four prototype implementations of these statistical retrieval systems that demonstrate their potential as powerful and easily used retrieval systems able to service all users.

The Contribution of Media Psychology to User-Friendly Computers: A Proposal for Cooperative Work

Abstract: Since personal computers with powerful software systems have become affordable, they are available to almost everyone in the workplace and at home. With them, it has become much easier and more efficient to perform tasks like writing a manuscript, computing statistical comparisons, storing and organizing addresses in a database, or designing presentations for an audience. However, the usability of computer software very much depends on the design of the interface that is presented to the user. That is, user-software interfaces can vary with respect to their user-friendliness. A few years ago, for example, output of computer programs was character-based, which means that alphanumeric messages were displayed on a text screen to the user. In order to execute functions provided by the software system, command names had to be typed in from a keyboard. For that, the user had to remember quite a number of different names that were assigned to functions of the program, which could put considerable load on his or her memory capacity and retrieval processes. With these character-based machines and programs, user-software interaction could be tedious work, especially for novice users.

New Complexities in the Embedded World - The OTI Approach

Abstract: The embedded software world is facing a significant increase in complexity. Walk through an embedded-systems conference or scan the trade magazines and you will see the arrival — with a vengeance — of a new generation of high-performance, highly integrated microcontrollers from almost all the main silicon vendors. These new, low-cost devices are accelerating the competitive pressures to deliver embedded products that have more features while at the same time are more user friendly. Customers want more integration and connectivity throughout their systems. They expect flexible and configurable products. Products that were once standalone applications are now expected to be components of larger systems. There is also a growing need for dynamically downloadable application components. To make the software developer’s job even harder, add the need for application portability and the demand for customizations. Then add the emphasis on “time to profit.” Hardware costs will no longer preclude the delivery of such solutions. The limiting factor will be software.

Exdasy - A User-Friendly and Extendable Data Distribution System

Abstract: This paper introduces Exdasy, a user-friendly and extendable software tool for partitioning unstructured meshes and mapping mesh partitions to parallel computers. Exdasy was designed to meet the increasing demands to today's data distribution systems, which are posed by the variety of mesh computations, the ongoing development of distribution algorithms and rapid changes in parallel hardware technology. For this, Exdasy offers third-party state-of-the-art distribution algorithms augmented with graphical user interfaces and powerful graphical evaluation displays. Evaluation of distributions is based on various quality metrics and static machine parameters. Exdasy provides a modular architecture by means of replaceable distribution algorithms, machine model/s and evaluation facilities. Hereby it is attractive to both users and developers.

Creating user-friendly electronic information systems

Abstract: In this article, the author reviews the definition of information systems, describes the concept of interactive assistance, describes how it relates to information systems, and points out a few prototypical examples

A Users'' Manual and Tutorial for Performing COMET Structural Analyses Using an Advanced User-Friendly Interface

Abstract: The COMET software system is a highly modular and flexible structural analysis system for research in computational methods and for exploration of new multiprocessor and vector computer hardware. These attributes: namely, modularity and flexibility, make COMET attractive to analysts, researchers, and developers in the structural mechanics discipline. However, these attributes contribute to the complexity of the system and make its usage difficult to grasp. Therefore, the development of a user-friendly interface will permit immediate execution of the program by a novice user while providing training through an interactive query mode such that the user will become proficient with the software and hardware. This initial development has been directed toward the generic user who will be performing structural analyses on a component or an assembly of structural components. Future development will enhance this user-friendly interface to support the development of the system by researchers and/or computer scientists.

A User Friendly Location Referencing System

Abstract: The authors have designed and developed a user friendly geographic location referencing system (the “System”). It is a hierarchical system specifically designed for use by the general public in connection with GPS and other electronic navigation devices. The System is capable of universal coverage, and produces at least one unique address for any location in the United States. The System is based upon a combination of referencing methods using existing political and geographic features, and the user interface includes features designed to reduce the input required to identify particular locations. In addition to the ability of the location referencing system to provide a universal reference for any location, the System includes unique methodologies to designate mnemonically associated identifiers for specific locations. These identifiers are coordinated with the universal location referencing aspects of the System in order to enhance the utility of the System for use by the general public. The System also includes methodologies designed to coordinate the use of the System with paper and electronic maps. Obiectives of the System The System has been designed for various types of commercial applications which can benefit from a user friendly consumer interface. For example, the intelligent transportation system industry has a need for standard location referencing which provides an interface that can be easily understood and used by the general public. Another example of the use of the System is in the emergency services sector. In the absence of electronic transmission of location information, it is important for police, fire, and medical providers to be able to obtain accurate location information, and the System is specifically designed to allow non-technical users of GPS and other electronic navigation devices to quickly and efficiently communicate their location information with less confusion and ambiguity than traditional location referencing systems. The System is designed to compliment and supplement GPS and other electronic hardware and software navigation systems of all types, including navigation databases and digitized maps that are currently being designed and marketed for use by the general public. The System design includes database capabilities which

CINDI : the virtual library graphical user interface

Abstract: The search for information on the Internet is often not an easy job for many Internet users. Because of the lack of a standard indexing scheme and an informative query interface, a Net search could have thousands of hits returned and the number of search misses is high. This thesis is part of the work to develop an Indexing and Searching System for the Internet called the CINDI (Concordia INdexing and DIscovery) system. It is aimed at providing a standard index scheme called Semantic-Header and informative query interface for users and providers of resources published on the Internet. This thesis presents the architectural design of the CINDI system, the design and implementation of the client part of the expert system, and the design and implementation of the graphical user interface (GUI) for the CINDI system. As the interface is an important part for the quality of a software, it has been carefully designed and implemented in an effort to be easy to use, user friendly, and consistent. The interface has been implemented under the UNIX system using the Motif toolkit and C programming language. The heart of the indexing system is the record called Semantic-Header that is kept for each item being indexed. The grammar of the Semantic-Header and that of the search query are also discussed in this thesis. An interface between the CINDI system and Netscape Navigator is also implemented. Finally, some directions for future work related to CINDI are described.

A Contrastive Indexing Method and its Integration in Aquarelle Folders

Abstract: The Aquarelle1 architecture is designed and built in a user oriented perspective. Folder archiving, indexing and retrieval must thus be designed for data access through «user friendly», yet expeditious, methods. This is a major challenge to the Information Systems in the Aquarelle organisation. This document addresses the role of advanced full text indexing in delivering data access and archiving applications. Our aim is to investigate the effective use of structured folders using automatic or assisted indexing in a multimedia and multilingual environment.