User interface standards

[John Walker <acad!throop!kelvin>]

bobp sez:

>> it's important to consider the broader issues relevant to all 
>> of our users, including Sun and Windows users

Amen.  One document you absolutely should obtain, read, and ponder
is:

	IBM Systems Application Architecture
	Common User Access, Panel Design and User Interaction
	SC26-4351

It is IBM's intent that this document and its future extensions and
revisions will form the user interface specification for ALL applications
run on IBM computers, from the humblest PS/2 to the most exalted 3090.
Their recently-announced assault on the integrated office automation
software market (mini- and mainframe based at present) embodies this
specification as part of the strategy.

The existing (few) applications on OS/2 Presentation Manager are largely
conformant with this specification although, like the Macintosh, OS/2 PM
lets you violate the guidelines as much as you want, if that's your
desire.

If you're inclined to prejudge, please don't.  The standard is, in
general, well thought out and well written, and contains a reasonable
mix of hard rules and gudelines, with the distinctions between them
kept clear.  In general, other than the ugliness that comes with the
requirement that any SAA application work on a nonprogrammable text-only
terminal, programmers who've come to terms with the Macintosh or
SunView standards have little to fear in SAA.  Other than a few letters
appearing underlined, mouse users are essentially unaware of the
underlying keyboard operability.

Other documents in the series which I don't have, but which might
be interesting and/or relevant are:

SAA Overview					GC26-4341
Writing Applications: A Design Guide		SC26-4362

Common Programming Interface:
C Reference					SC26-4353