Questions regarding software interaction with its human users.
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 ...
4
votes
1answer
89 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 ...
0
votes
3answers
197 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. ...
-3
votes
2answers
272 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
73 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
476 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
181 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 ...
8
votes
4answers
268 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
78 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.
...
2
votes
1answer
84 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
83 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 ...
3
votes
6answers
325 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
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 ...
1
vote
2answers
160 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
115 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 ...
2
votes
4answers
399 views
Should every front-end developer understand the basic aspects of design?
I'd say that we're developing software in a world where the front-end of an application is probably the most important. The increasing ability for a user to access and interact with software almost ...
0
votes
1answer
57 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
87 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
49 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
131 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
704 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
103 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
384 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
164 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
198 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 ...
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 ...
65
votes
24answers
8k views
How far should one take e-mail address validation?
I'm wondering how far people should take the validation of e-mail address. My field is primarily web-development, but this applies anywhere.
I've seen a few approaches:
simply checking if there is ...
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
256 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 ...
13
votes
12answers
3k views
What are the pros (and cons) of using “Sign in with Twitter/Facebook” for a new website?
Myself and a friend are looking to launch a little forum site. I’m considering using the “Sign in with Facebook/Twitter” APIs, possibly exclusively (a la e.g. Lanyrd), for user login. I haven’t used ...
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
641 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 ...
5
votes
3answers
817 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 ...
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 ...
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
3answers
876 views
Javascript, Text Annotations and Ideas
I am very curious to hear input from others on a problem I've been contemplating for some time now.
Essentially I would like to present a user with a text document and allow him/her to make ...
1
vote
3answers
486 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
1answer
176 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
2answers
190 views
User interface design tool [closed]
Are there any applications that can help me design a user interface in conceptual way?
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 ...
36
votes
23answers
4k views
Why do some programmers hate the UI part of the development?
Lots of programmers that I've met always says that "He is not a UI guy." The fact is that development nowadays, whether web, Windows, Linux, OSX, or any other type of development now comprises ...
2
votes
11answers
275 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 ...
1
vote
3answers
385 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
1answer
157 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
793 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
136 views
Is anyone actively developing software to be used with the Emotiv headset?
Based on the "featured apps" section of the main page
http://www.emotiv.com/index.php
Alot of the so called "mind control" apps so far seem to be fairly rudimentary read/scan apps that look to ...
2
votes
2answers
865 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 ...
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 ...
