Configuration of Software

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Configuration of Software

• Unit 2, Introduction to Computer Systems

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User Requirements

• Modern software is customisable it can be
  functionally and cosmetically altered to suit a
  users personal needs and tastes.

Functionality what it can actually do
Cosmetics what it looks like (also called its
aesthetics).
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User Requirements

• The following list contains some common
  customisations
• Appearance of the user interface (the skin or
  theme)
• Level of help offered to user
• Options available on the main menu (eg selected
  toolbars)
• Pre-programmed shortcuts that perform common
  tasks (macros, wizards etc)
• Security settings
• Privacy settings
• Navigation settings
• Input settings (eg keyboard, mouse, voice
  control)
• Display settings (eg possible use of dual
  monitors)
• Audio feedback and notifications of events
• Accessibility settings
• Additional functionality via option plug-ins
• Remembering previously edited data files and
  documents.

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User Requirements

• User requirements must be investigated thoroughly
  if a computer system is being tailored for a
  specific user.
• How?

• Interview them
• Let them experiment, document their preferences
• Accommodate workplace standards and security.

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Worksheet Activity 1 and 2
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Personalisation of a GUI

• GUI (pronounced goo-ee) is an acronym for
  Graphic User Interface.
• Allows user to interact with the computer system
  in a more intuitive way than that provided by an
  older Command Line Interface (CLI).
• Microsofts Windows Operating System has a well
  known GUI

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Personalisation of a GUI

• Other friendly GUIs exist such as KDE or GNOME
  for Linux or Mac OS X.
• They all rely on 4 basic components
• Windows
• Icons
• Mouse
• Pointer.
• Hence they can also be called WIMP systems.

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Personalisation of a GUI

• GUIs can be customised in a number of ways.
• The most common customisations in Microsoft
  Windows are shown below
• Desktop arrangement
• Wallpaper
• Mouse settings
• Date/Time
• Screen Saver
• Taskbar settings
• Shortcuts.

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Desktop arrangement

• Desktop icons can be arranged via Right-click on
  the desktop which (as usual) causes a
  context-sensitive menu to appear

It is possible to re-arrange the physical order
of the desktops icons using this menu, change
graphic options and display modes.
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Wallpaper

• An image that appears behind the icons on the
  desktop.
• Usually a .jpg or .bmp file) which can be loaded
  on the computer via disk or downloaded from the
  Internet (or scanned).
• The wallpaper can be altered by right-clicking on
  the desktop and selecting properties on the
  context-sensitive menu

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Wallpaper
The image (if smaller than the current
resolution) can be stretched, centred or tiled
(ie repeated to fill the available area).
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Mouse Settings

• Since a vast amount of interaction between the
  user and a GUI occurs via the mouse, it is
  important that the user is comfortable with the
  devices settings.
• The mouse settings can be accessed via the
  Control Panel.

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Mouse Settings
Microsofts Windows XP Control Panel View
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Mouse Settings

• The options available to change the mouse/pointer
  behaviour will alter depending on the actual
  Mouse hardware (and its drivers) in use.
• Common changes to make can include
• Swapping functionality of left/right buttons
• Altering double-click speed
• Changing the animated icons used for the mouse
  pointer, hourglass etc
• Altering the speed of the mouse pointer.

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Date/Time

• Date and Time settings are taken from the
  battery-backed real-time clock (RTC) which is
  built into the computers motherboard.
• In Windows, the clock is typically shown on the
  bottom right-hand corner of the screen a part of
  the task bar which is called the system tray.

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Date/Time
A right-click on the time will display a
different context-sensitive menu.
Correct Date and time settings are vital for the
accurate recording of file creation and
modification, virus signature updating etc.
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Screen Saver

• A screen saver is an animated image or text
  display which is used to prevent burn-in on CRT
  monitors (where static images permanently mark
  the phosphorous coating on the screen leaving a
  ghost).
• Modern screen savers also incorporate password
  locking useful if a machine if left unattended
  in an open access environment as it can prevent
  unauthorised access.
• Screen savers can be installed via disk or
  downloaded from the internet.
• Access to the Screen saver settings is via the
  Display Properties panel which we saw when we
  changed the wallpaper.

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Screen Saver

• Common settings for the Screen saver include
• Delay (in minutes) before activating
• Whether to display the Welcome Screen (for
  password input)
• Settings to change the Screen saver behaviour
• It is also possible to also adjust power settings
  for the monitor switching it into a less
  power-hungry standby mode after a period of
  non-use.

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Screen Saver
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Taskbar settings

• The taskbar is (usually) a horizontal strip which
  lies at the bottom of the desktop interface in
  recent releases of Microsoft Windows.
• The task bar typically contains (from left to
  right)
• A Start menu button
• A Quick-launch area
• Active program area
• System Tray.
• The task bar can be customised through a simple
  right-click which displays another context
  sensitive menu.

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Shortcuts

• Shortcuts are used to create a basic link between
  the user and a resource (typically a file or a
  program) which is normally stored in a remote
  location.

The most common method is to right-click on the
file in question and then use the Create
Shortcut option. The shortcut can then be cut
pasted or moved to another directory or even the
Desktop.
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Shortcuts
Shortcuts are often distinguished from a normal
file by the use of a small arrow (although this
can be turned off). Deletion of a shortcut will
not affect the original file.
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Worksheet on-line Missing Words
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Working with Folders

• A folder (or sub-directory) is used to group
  files which are related or those which are
  similar in nature.
• Most operating systems permit the user to create
  an almost unlimited number of folders in which
  they can organise their work in their own way.
• Folders are created in a hierarchical fashion
  (looks a bit like an upside-down tree).
• The main directory is often called the Root.

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Working with Folders

• Example Folder structure

Windows Explorer would show the same folder
structure like so
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Working with Folders

• Folders can be created using a simple right click
  on an existing directory.

• New folder names need to be unique inside each
  parent folder.

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Worksheet Activity 3
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Summary

• User requirements
• GUI customisations including
• Desktop arrangement
• Wallpaper
• Mouse settings
• Date/Time
• Screen Saver
• Taskbar settings
• Shortcuts
• Creation of folders.