difference between GUI + CLI
GUI: graphical user interface
- generalized tasks
- easy to navigate
- knowledge of syntax not needed
CLI: command line interface
- requires knowledge of syntax
- for automated/specialised tasks
- less common/popular
brief history of GUI
Xerox: developed the ‘Alto’, the first experimental computer w/ fully mapped GUI
Star: first business-use GUI computer
Lisa + Macintosh: GUI based, commercial personal computer created by Apple, where Microsoft helped create applications
license meaning
formal authority to use a product
agreement
mutual contract between parties
term
period of time something is in force
warranty
a guarantee - usually regarding product functionability
liability
obligation/debt as a consequence of an event
reverse engineer
to look at a product and reproduce the same output without use of their source code
decompiling
produce source code from compiled files
copyright act
The Copyright Act 1968
- software license agreements must comply with these laws to be enforceable in court
features of commercial license
- covered by copyright
- not to be modified, distributed or decompiled
- one archival/backup copy allowed
- no source code
- can include site license as extension
features of shareware license
- covered by copyright
- not to be modified, distributed or decompiled
- multiple archival/distribution copies allowed
- no source
- can include site license as extension
features of freeware license
- covered by copyright
- copies can be made, distributed, altered
- modified products must also be freeware
- source code may or may not be distributed
features of public domain license
- not covered by copyright
- copies and modifications can be made
- source code may or may not be distributed
features of open source license
- covered by copyright, though traditional copyrights are removed
- source code is developed collaboratively, free modification + redistribution
- author recognition
- modified products must also be open source
features of site license
- covered by copyright
- specify no. of machines for installation/location of installation
- usually extension of commercial/shareware licenses
features of creative commons license
- alters how copyrighted material maybe used without charge
- for other forms of media
- most permit free copies + distribution with acknowledgement of author
GNU GLP
general purpose licenses: uses copyleft, removes restrictions to implement four freedoms:
- freedom to use software for any purpose, to change it to suit your needs, to share with others, share changes you make
reasons for increased need for software license agreements
- ease of reproduction and copy; copying is straightforward, made anonymously, copies identical to original
- collaborative development history; all contributions should be legally enforced
- the current open environment of the internet; hard to control illegal distribution of software
internet + source code
when code is published on internet, users are encouraged to relinquish copyrights
- quality cannot be guaranteed
source code in books + magazines
- intended to be used + modified as part of learning process
- copyrights relinquished for educational purposes
- content is limited to small modules of code
must-have features for GUIs - general
- allow the user communication with software
- user friendly: easily learnt, intuitive, consistent
- appropriate messages to user
consistency of UI
- setting standards, sticking to them
- explanation of application rules
- using interface elements correctly, when and how to use them
- appropriate use of color
- appropriate use of fonts
- aligned data entry elements
- consistent method of reversing actions
rules of response time
- instant: 0.1 seconds
- slow: 1-2 seconds, requires visual stimulus
- very slow: anything more than a few seconds, requires visual stimulus
