Questions regarding software interaction with its human users.
4
votes
2answers
81 views
How to outsource the UI of a dynamic Web application?
I have a web application developed using Spring and Hibernate, which uses a REST API and Javascript to display and update content. The project is nearly completed, but I want to enhance the look and ...
0
votes
0answers
80 views
What is the best way to communicate that certain functionality is currently unavailable in an application [migrated]
Let's say there is some feature in an application (accessed via a button) that only becomes available once a number of criteria are met.
Off the top of my head, there are 3 options here:
Hide the ...
0
votes
3answers
198 views
How do I tell a user that bps means bits per second or bytes per second?
I'm writing an application that deals with the network and the hard drive. For the network portion, the application measures in bits per second, while the disk portion measures in bytes per second. ...
4
votes
1answer
91 views
How to maintain standard quality of images uploaded by many users?
We're developing a site where individuals (store owners) will be able to take pictures and upload to the site. Our biggest concern is the variance in quality of pictures across the site.
The options ...
-3
votes
2answers
289 views
Why do we still use a programming language instead of using just SQL? [duplicate]
In database managements systems lecture, my professor said that we can use Oracle etc. ui designing tools instead of using Visual C# or etc. He added that SQL is as strong as a programming language. ...
-1
votes
1answer
78 views
Toolkit for cross-platform applications in Python [closed]
I would like to develop cross-platform GUI applications, which work on both Linux and Windows systems. I am now confused on which toolkit to use. I asked many of them and each one are saying different ...
0
votes
0answers
485 views
Is Python/Clojure a good option for development of the described expert system? Yes or No [closed]
I am a mathematics graduate working on the development of an expert system for my PhD. I have never developed an expert system before but I have done some basic programming in C++ and java, but mostly ...
1
vote
3answers
191 views
Am I handling my exceptions in a sensible manner?
I'm still restructuring the code I have been given to update on my current work project, and I've come to the point where I'm looking at how the code handles an 'exceptional' input, that doesn't ...
9
votes
4answers
275 views
How to deal with user interface design and respective feature support in Agile development?
In an Agile development process usually the main focus is on User stories, but sometimes a single requirement may span several user stories.
For example, the client may request a search page for all ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
Criteria for selecting MigLayout for GUI code?
It seems to be easier to use and more feature rich than standard swing layouts. It looks like a do it all replacement for all standard layouts. If you are making simple code to just show the time in a ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views
Creating an account to receive sensitive information on a mobile device
I am developing an Android application for my final year project which allows the holder of a mobile device to receive a text notification containing potentially sensitive information from a server.
...
1
vote
2answers
168 views
Time limit on user input
I am trying to put a time limit on the user input, so if they take longer than 2 seconds to put type in an input then the program will terminate. I was wondering if there is a simple way to do this in ...
3
votes
3answers
116 views
System evolution approach: gradual or cataclysmic?
When working on established systems, I've often found ways to improve a user interface to maximize user efficiency (example: legacy app maintenance screen doesn't allow multi-line operations where ...
10
votes
2answers
293 views
How Should “Undo Typing” Behave?
I'm implementing a Java app that includes an Undo/Redo stack. I've noticed that some apps (such as TextEdit on Mac OS X) let you choose "Undo Typing" from the Edit Menu after typing some text. I'd ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
Polling and control devices
I am in the early stages of planning for an input device which will consist of some as-yet-to-be determined number pf physical controls. From previous experience with such devices I have found that it ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
creating simple states for a stateless input
Given an input device (basically a keyboard) that reports keyup and keydown, how may I most efficiently store and retrieve information about which keys are currently depressed? My first thought was a ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Dynamic items on JavaFX interface
I am looking to build an application similar to Blocky. For that I will be using JavaFX. I am working on prototypes atm. It appears that JavaFX UIs are generally made using Scene Builders. I am still ...
0
votes
0answers
92 views
How to make structural theme with Spring MVC?
I want to create structural theme feature for my application, I tryied to use the theme feature of spring mvc but it's used to find a different css, so it only works on CSS based application theme.
...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
handling rules applied to a set of checkboxes, radio buttons or form fields
I've been wondering about applications that have a set of checkboxes or radio buttons, even collections of form fields in their UI.
At this moment I'm handling all the choices separately but of ...
3
votes
2answers
133 views
Automated object creation from user input
I am working on a command-line application that runs simulations. It has to be heavily configurable; the user should be able to provide a very large number (100+) of parameters, some mandatory and ...
3
votes
4answers
710 views
Why is the UI of nowadays application getting so “plain”? [closed]
Take a look at Google, Windows 8, etc.
Why does everything look so plain now? Looks really ugly to me.
Is it all because of smartphones and tablets?
Do I have to follow that trend?
2
votes
1answer
104 views
Object locking over Internet
I am building a tutoring application that can be used to draw objects and then one is able to drag them around. I would like to know what is the best thing to do when someone clicks on an object and ...
1
vote
3answers
398 views
What data structure could a word processor use to map the user's caret position/text selection to its internal representation of the document?
Word processors (e.g. Microsoft Word) display documents to the user as styled text. The user can select a part of this text and apply styles to it, and edit the text.
The word processor must (I ...
2
votes
2answers
167 views
Desktop application, dependency injection
I am thinking of applying a real dependency injection library to my toy C#/GTK# desktop application. I chose NInject, but I think this is irrelevant to my question.
There is a database object, a main ...
1
vote
1answer
39 views
Internationalization messages based in views or in model entities
I have a small webapp in java and I am adding the internationalization support, replacing texts with labels that are defined in dictionary files.
While some texts are obviously unique to each view ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Time tracking and payment registration architecture
Тitle might be a little bit incorrect. :) Anyway, I'm building a software where employees input time they worked per day (work hours) and employer "pays" for this time. "Payment" is done outside this ...
6
votes
2answers
260 views
How much detail is in a good UI regression test?
We use a detailed step-by-step user-interface regression test for our commercial web application. It has a "backbone" test for the most used / most important parts of the system, with optional tests ...
76
votes
17answers
21k views
Is it a good idea to design an architecture thinking that the User Interface classes can be replaced by a command line interface?
In Code Complete page 25, it's said that it's a good idea to be able to easily replace the regular user interface classes by a command line one.
Knowing its advantages for testing, what about the ...
6
votes
2answers
646 views
Are there any programming fonts with oldstyle figures?
I find that oldstyle (or text) figures are much easier to read in any context outside of simple assignment. Are there any low-ambiguity fonts, monospaced or proportional, that have text figures and ...
-2
votes
6answers
4k views
How to create a cool user interface for an excel file in java or C#? [closed]
I have an excel file with many sheets and relations between theme (ie, formulas that relates sheets to each other). I wanna create the user interface for this excel file.in other words I wanna create ...
0
votes
2answers
151 views
How should a website validate a users mailing address?
This is for a site that relies on shipping items via UPS or FedEx. I know there is software out there that does it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coding_Accuracy_Support_System), but if you are trying ...
5
votes
6answers
355 views
Most recent vs Most used [closed]
We are building a business application (a laboratory management system to be more precise) mostly for internal company use only. To make it easier for users to find items which they work on we are ...
2
votes
2answers
201 views
Need some advice on CLI design, I need to provide simple but powerful command line options
I am writing a utility that runs on RHEL5 command line. I need my command line options to be simple but powerful. I looked at the various UNIX utilities to get an idea of how simple command line ...
5
votes
3answers
821 views
Why doesn't Microsoft release UX frameworks to build UI's like their current UIs?
When I started learning programming with the .NET framework, I started by using WinForms as a UI technology. It uses “classic” menus just like this office 2000:
A few years later Office 2007 was ...
2
votes
1answer
178 views
UI message passing programming paradigm
I recently (about two months ago) read an article that explained some user interface paradigm that I can't remember the name of and I also can't find the article anymore.
The paradigm allows for ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Can I use metro style interface in my own web application?
I am wondering if I would need to license the Metro style or if I can just freely use it in my own applications. I mean, is it patented or protected in any way that would prevent me from building my ...
1
vote
3answers
391 views
Apply vs. Ok buttons [closed]
Often when configuring settings, applications have both an "Apply" and an "Ok" button. Should the "Ok" button always perform the "Apply" before closing the window out? Are there pros and cons to doing ...
2
votes
11answers
276 views
Build functionality around the design, or the other way around?
When you build an application, is it better to design the UI first (in Photoshop or whatever), then implement the functionality following the UI you just designed, or do the programming and build the ...
-2
votes
1answer
158 views
Adding a forum to an existing site
I've got a site with ~500 registered members, 300 of which are what you'd call "active". Site data is kept in a MySQL dbase.
I'd like to add a myBB forum to the site, but this question applies to any ...
3
votes
6answers
326 views
What's the term describing this system for generating user interfaces?
So, there's this idea, which you already know: Define the layout of your UI by creating a tree of panels. The leaf nodes on the tree are what we used to call 'controls' way back in the day-- the ...
1
vote
3answers
493 views
Creating a line of business application with Visual Studio Isolated Shell
I ask this to the pros out there - Is it feasible to build a new LOB(Line Of Business) application with VS Shell as an stand alone application.
There are some points that I thought needs to changed, ...
2
votes
2answers
876 views
Do people use any tools to make Rich UI on Web Application?
As titled, take ASP.NET/Perl/PHP for example.
Because I don't have chance to work with UI Designer/or know anyone like that, so I really wonder do they use any tools to do the UI design?
I don't ...
8
votes
3answers
392 views
Cost of design based on the cost of programming
What is your methodology when you need to determine the cost of UI design if you know the cost (work hours) of programming in some project?
Let's say, programming of logic in some project cost X ...
2
votes
4answers
207 views
What is the “architecture” that provides functionality to application-level URI interfaces, like chrome:// and Firefox's about:config, etc?
According to Wikipedia,
about is an internal URI scheme (also known as a "URL scheme" or, erroneously, "protocol") in various web browsers to display certain built-in functions. It is not an ...
1
vote
1answer
138 views
How could I implement multitouch gestures without a start event?
While working on multitouch, one of the problems I've run into is the fact that nobody seems to do gesture recognition without some kind of init event, whether it's a mouseclick or contact with a ...
3
votes
5answers
6k views
UI Developer Interview Question
I keep getting the following question in interviews; and judging from the reactions I've gotten, I'm not giving the best answer. "What methodology do you use for developing user interfaces?" Which ...
2
votes
2answers
810 views
How can I separate the user interface from the business logic while still maintaining efficiency?
Let's say that I want to show a form that represents 10 different objects on a combobox. For example, I want the user to pick one hamburguer from 10 different ones that contain tomatoes.
Since I want ...
3
votes
3answers
345 views
Separating the UI from its event handlers and database queries
Is it a good practice to separate the handlers and database queries in different classes?
There will be a separate class containing all the necessary event handlers, and there would also be another ...
5
votes
2answers
304 views
How come the design process is so different for Web Design and GUI Design?
I had the opportunity to develop applications in several niches:
server back-end, desktop clients, and recently a small scale website.
Once indulged in the website design I am asking myself and you
...
5
votes
1answer
245 views
Design For Asynchronous User Interface
I have been working on a integration that has posed an interesting user interface conundrum that I would like suggestions for.
The user interface is displayed within a third party product. The state ...
