CIS 512 Student Discussion Response

CIS512 discussion post responses.

Respond to the colleagues posts regarding:

"Operating Systems" Please respond to the following:

From the first e-Activity, examine two (2) of the most common reasons that some users are avoiding Windows 8. Determine whether Microsoft has taken any steps to address these user concerns and, provide at least one (1) example if they have taken action. If Microsoft has not taken any steps to address these user concerns, recommend at least (1) course of action they could take in order to address the concerns. Justify your response.

From the second e-Activity, examine the ease of use and the pros and cons of three (3) types of user interfaces available to the user today. Determine the user interface which is the most efficient and user friendly. Provide a rationale for your response.

SW’s post states the following:Top of Form

Windows 8 is an almost obsolete operating system (OS) built by Microsoft during its initial move to mobile ease of use interfaces. For many in the computer world, this was the beginning of what today is now called the Internet of Things (IoT), the idea of one software platform with many uses to bring the entire Microsoft infrastructure together. Many early videos about Windows 8 described it as a blend of a stable version of the Aero visual concepts of Windows Vista, the OS efficiency of Windows 7 and the ease of use of tablet and mobile interfaces. This backfired as the mobile interface that was the default of Windows 8 was off-putting to the typical user who was used to normal menu navigation. Many of the features since Windows 95 that made Windows an easy to navigate OS were now replaced with new verbiage or icons and some were hidden behind too many clicks to be efficient. Microsoft introduced many different versions of Windows 8 to combat this by providing an OS that fit the needs of the customer, but was too confusing for the average consumer to know which version to buy. This was carried over to Windows 10 which is why many people are put off by it as well. They also introduced classic mode which allowed a more Windows 7 interface, but still heavily relied on the Windows 8 tile structure for navigation. This fusion has also been carried over to Windows 10 which again has been off-putting to most. Contrary to belief, there is a demographic that I found loved the Windows 8 interface and find the navigation convention easier, elderly folks with low to no real PC experience. Many of these folks in my direct interactions found the tablet-style tile navigation to be great as they are not the ones running PC commands and in-depth programs. Windows 10 is now the birth child of what Microsoft felt was right with it's last 3 OS offerings in hopes to compensate for the uncomfortableness felt by consumers in those versions. Due to Microsoft's end of life on all previous OS versions and the new structure of no new OS version, just new Win 10 updates, this new structure is here to stay, like it or not.

Three main types of interfaces that come to my mind are command line interfaces (CLI), Web Interfaces and mobile interfaces. Each interface has its own appeal and set of issues depending on the user. For instance, CLI's can be found in Windows using Command Prompt, via coding languages like Batch scripting and other backline OS models. This type of interface can be off-putting as the only visual part is the nice box that excepts your commands. More modern CLI's can open programs and files that have their own visual presentation via programs ad processes, but to get there you must understand the proper commands to run. This need to understand commands is why a CLI interface is off-putting to most, but for those who know it, CLI's provide the most power as you directly can manipulate things at a truly administrative level.

Web interfaces are the most common today, driven by Java and HTML languages. This type of interface is the reason we've gone from web pages that used to just be text interactive forms and pictures to graphical and socially connective spaces. For many, web interfaces are the main type of interface that someone would feel comfortable using. Google has changed what people expect from a search engine, Amazon has changed what people expect from an online shopping experience, and things like Facebook and YouTube have changed what people expect from social platforms. Web API's have become so ingrained in what we do every day I'm sure most people don't think when they use them anymore. This has lead to the rise of Internet criminal activity as people spare no thought in some cases to interfaces they interact with due to how common they are to our everyday lives. Web Interfaces can be easy to use, but come with the need for continuous education lest users become complacent and victims to the very ease web interfaces provide.

Mobile interfaces are the newest kid on the block and are growing faster than even web interfaces did. Using many different mobile OS versions and coding languages, mobile interfaces are taking what was once only possible via web interfaces, making them portable and possible to carry with you. Some mobile interfaces are stripped-down versions of their web interface counterparts while others are just as good as if you were sitting in front of your PC. Tablets bring the gap between web interfaces and mobile interfaces allowing app makers to create visually stunning mobile API's without much compromise on performance. As Tablets and mobile phones continue to push the boundaries of technology, mobile interfaces will only push further onto the heels of web interfaces to the point that they will be indistinguishable of one another. When that day comes one may ponder if the App market will implode as people find they can just launch a web browser and do what they need versus having a bunch of individual apps.

DA’s post states the following:Top of Form

From the first e-Activity, examine two (2) of the most common reasons that some users are avoiding Windows 8. Determine whether Microsoft has taken any steps to address these user concerns and, provide at least one (1) example if they have taken action. If Microsoft has not taken any steps to address these user concerns, recommend at least (1) course of action they could take in order to address the concerns. Justify your response.

Windows 8 is an operating system that we developed by Microsoft for personal use and was released in 2012. Microsoft made major changes in Windows 8 operating system by changing the user interface to enhance user experience especially for the users who are using touchscreen interface devices such as a tablet. But the most common reason that was reported by the users was the absence of the famous Start Menu that has been apart of Windows since the very beginning. The absence of the Start Menu created confusion and forced users to relearn the entire operating system. As of now Microsoft has failed to address this complaint. My suggestion would be not to simply put the Start Menu back because I do understand the want for something fresh and new but I do believe that Microsoft made this drastic change too abruptly. So I believe they should add something similar to the Start Menu whether it be a new tab or alternate menu. I do understand that Microsoft might’ve wanting to expand and venture out to new things but changing something that has been apart of the system forever should be changed gradually to ease consumers out of it while teaching them something new as well.

Another know problem with the new Windows 8 is that it crashes and reloads frequently. Some users have reported repeated appearances of Windows Explore has stopped working after installing a fresh version of Windows 8. The problem occurs every few minutes which obviously make Windows a bit hard to use. The trigger appears to be a bug between the operating system and the hardware driver or installed software. Windows has addressed this issue by directing users to use the “Refresh My PC” feature. They also explain how to get to and use this feature. They also warn users to back up their data before refreshing just in case something goes wrong. From the second e-Activity, examine the ease of use and the pros and cons of three (3) types of user interfaces available to the user today. Determine the user interface which is the most efficient and user friendly. Provide a rationale for your response. Command Line Interface (CLI) : Text based, uses operating systems that allows the user to respond to visual prompts by typing commands into the interface and communicating that way. This is an older method of interacting with operating systems and apps, and is used by users to perform specific tasks. Disadvantages - Without the known commands, you cannot work on the CLI - A lot of commands have to be learned to use this interface. - One needs to be very specific and careful when typing the commands. Even a single spelling mistake may lead to instruction failure. - There are no images and graphics on the screen. Graphical User Interface ( GUI) : uses visual aids, indicators and icons that interact with electronic devices rather than text commands. For example all versions of Microsoft Windows is a GUI whereas MS-DOS is a command line. Disadvantages - It uses more computer memory as the aim is to make it for user friendly and not resource optimized. As a result it can be slow on older machines. - GUI becomes more complex if user needs to communicate with the computer directly. - Certain tasks may take long due to many menus to select the desired choice. - Hidden commands need to be searched using Help file. - GUI based applications require more RAM in order to run. - It uses more processing power compare to other interface types. Touch User Interface (TUI) : relies on touch rather than command or sight. Used in tablets and phones. Disadvantages - Accuracy and precision depend on size of the icons. When icons are very small, it may be difficult to activate the same with the help of large fingers. - It requires proximity of the user to operate. User must be within reach of the touch screen display. - Hands and fingers often obscure the screen information while selecting the desired options. - Battery operated touch screen devices consume more power. - It is difficult to operate by visually impaired people. They can interact based on tactile or braille input. - It is very sensitive interface and hence can also be activated due to stray touches I would say that TUI is more user friendly simply because it provides a level of interaction for the user.