xerox 19770816 Functional Specs free download

File name 19770816_Functional_Specs.pdf

To Charles Irby .' Welldell Sh ultz Date August 16, 1977 From Betty HII rr tocM ion Palo Alto Subject Functional Specs Organ ization SOD-Palo Alto MISSING PROMPTS: As specified, Janus supplies insufficient prompting for the unsophisticated tlser. Whenever the system requires the user to supply information other than text input, a promrt is called for. This is particulary true on option sheets unless the item listed is exceptionally clear. For example, Oil the print option slleet, if the user specifies special forms, a prompt should reqlte~t the name of the form. These prompts will be very helpful to the beginning user and wil! not impede the experienced user, since all such prompts would appear in the h1essage/Response are:l of the screen. COMMAND LANGUAGE: some terms are far too sophisticatedand would not be in the vocabulary of the low end Janus users; other terms do not sufficiently explain the meaning or options to which they are connected. Specifically: Window' Commands: Set window: implies change to window. Actually means change to view of document. Should be WINDOW VIEW or DOCUMENT VIEW. Reset: by proximity to Set Window command implies reset of window, but actually means ERASE or CLEAR CHANGES. Shrink: should apply only to windows that can become icons. It should not calise any other action to happen slIch as the ::lpplications that result from this command in Reset Parameters and Abort under System-wide features. Eliminate the Shrink comand from option sheet windows; substitute FI N ISH ED. Execute: The word Execute is too sophisticated. I suggest DO IT. Do It: should appear in any window in which an action must be confirmed. (e.g., print option sheet). If stich n window has a Finished option associated with it, the user mllst be prevented from inadverkiltly shrinking the window withom invo}:ing the action if action is desired: when the Finished option is cho~en without the Do Ii opti011, the system should prompt the user that no printing has been ordered "No printing has bad reqllested. Are you finished with this option sheet?" FS Review 2 Des/roy is too dramatic. f suggest DISAPPEAR. Aggregate and Disassemble should be GROUP and SEPARATE. KEYS Help: It is imperative that the Help key not have the Syslog on it. It would be too easy for the user to stumble into the Syslog when already confused enough to need help!!! Clear and Apply keys: this combination seems unfortunate. If the shift lock happened to be invoked, the operator would get the exact opposite of the desired effect! Abort should be STOP and should be an emergency terminate, as the word implies. It should NOT be used in text editing to indicate completion of Move and Copy commands. Keys for setting carriage: Users