User Interface (UI) Design focuses on anticipating what users might need to do and ensuring that the interface has elements that are easy to access, understand, and use to facilitate those actions. UI brings together concepts from interaction design, visual design, andinformation architecture.
Choosing Interface Elements
Users have become familiar with interface elements acting in a certain way, so try to be consistent and predictable in your choices and their layout. Doing so will help with task completion, efficiency, and satisfaction.
Interface elements include but are not limited to:
Input Controls: buttons, text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdown lists, list boxes, toggles, date field
Informational Components: tooltips, icons, progress bar, notifications, message boxes, modal windows
Containers: accordion
There are times when multiple elements might be appropriate for displaying content. When this happens, it’s important to consider the trade-offs. For example, sometimes elements that can help save you space, put more of a burden on the user mentally by forcing them to guess what is within the dropdown or what the element might be.
Best Practices for Designing an Interface
Everything stems from knowing your users, including understanding their goals, skills, preferences, and tendencies. Once you know about your user, make sure to consider the following when designing your interface:
Keep the interface simple. The best interfaces are almost invisible to the user. They avoid unnecessary elements and are clear in the language they use on labels and in messaging.
Create consistency and use common UI elements. By using common elements in your UI, users feel more comfortable and are able to get things done more quickly. It is also important to create patterns in language, layout and design throughout the site to help facilitate efficiency. Once a user learns how to do something, they should be able to transfer that skill to other parts of the site.
Be purposeful in page layout. Consider the spatial relationships between items on the page and structure the page based on importance. Careful placement of items can help draw attention to the most important pieces of information and can aid scanning and readability.
Strategically use color and texture. You can direct attention toward or redirect attention away from items using color, light, contrast, and texture to your advantage.
Use typography to create hierarchy and clarity. Carefully consider how you use typeface. Different sizes, fonts, and arrangement of the text to help increase scanability, legibility and readability.
Make sure that the system communicates what’s happening. Always inform your users of location, actions, changes in state, or errors. The use of various UI elements to communicate status and, if necessary, next steps can reduce frustration for your user.
Think about the defaults. By carefully thinking about and anticipating the goals people bring to your site, you can create defaults that reduce the burden on the user. This becomes particularly important when it comes to form design where you might have an opportunity to have some fields pre-chosen or filled out.
There are hundreds of compelling reasons why Linux is better than all the rival operating systems. Here are just 20.
1. Linux is free
No matter how many computers you install it on, the cost of Linux remains the same: zero.
In these days of multi-computer households, this can be a massive saving, especially when you consider the cost of all the programs you have to add to a standard Windows installation.
2. Software repositories
Having all the software you need in one place saves you having to trawl the web to find the program you're missing. It also means the software has been independently checked and digitally signed by the distro's developers, making it almost impossible to pick up a root-kitted version.
The same developers also keep track of updates and add them to the repository, providing you with automatic updates without every program needing a 'phone home' feature.
3. Live CDs
Live CDs are one of the best innovations of the Linux world. To be able to load a complete desktop on any computer by booting it from a CD or USB stick is a great way of using your favourite distro away from home, demonstrating Linux to yet-to-be-converted friends, checking hardware compatibility or fixing a broken Windows system.
4. Rapid evolution
Windows Vista took five years to appear, and was seen by many critics and users alike as a big step backwards, if not a complete flop. Since Windows 7 would take another three years to come along, that was virtually an eight-year wait for an operating system upgrade!
In contrast, most Linux distributions have an updated release every six to nine months (with the obvious exception of Debian). If you don't like the upside-down menus or whatever features Ubuntu decides to add to its current release, you can skip it – the next version will be only months away.
5. Linux is free
Didn't we already mention this? Yes, but this is a different free: it's the freedom to do whatever you want with the software. This isn't restricted to copying, but also hacking.
Even if you don't have the skills to do so, you can take advantage of the efforts of others. In fact, you probably already do so, as most distros use a modified version of the standard Linux kernel.
6. Powerful shell
While some criticise Linux for its use of the shell, this really is a powerful advantage. Easy GUIs are good, and we need to be able to carry out standard administration and configuration tasks using a GUI, but sometimes a shell can be so much faster and more flexible, unlike a DOS box.
7. Multiple desktops
Have you ever watched a Windows user trying to juggle several programs and windows on screen at once, assuming they have enough resources to run several programs? Multiple desktops makes it easy to have many programs and windows open all at once, but only have to deal with the ones you are using right now.
For example, you could have your email and internet on one desktop, a game on another, and the work you're supposed to be doing on another. A flick of the mouse is all that's required to switch between them.
8. Independent distributions
Distributors are responsible for selecting and packaging software. Even if the distributor employs some of the programmers of a particular program, it isn't obliged to use that program irrespective of any shortcomings, unlike the situation with a certain large, monolithic software company. Software evolves because the distros only include what they feel is the best or most appropriate.
9. Drivers included
Some claim that Windows 7 supports more hardware than Linux. In fact, the reverse is true. Windows 7 supports very little hardware – most hardware requires you to install drivers from the manufacturer.
On the other hand, the majority of hardware is supported directly by the Linux kernel, so you can just plug and play – this is one of the reasons live CDs work so well.
10. Runs on any platform
Linux runs on just about any hardware you can name, from mobile phones to supercomputers. The open source nature of the kernel and software means it can be ported to another architecture by a third party if the existing developers see no need. The end user doesn't need to care about the underlying hardware.
11. No commercial deadlines
The release of a commercial operating system requires much planning in terms of coordinating marketing and promotion, so release dates are adhered to, even if the software isn't ready.
Linux distros have no such pressures, and tend to adopt a 'release it when ready' approach, which means there are fewer post-installation bugs to deal with.
12. Interoperability
Linux plays well with other systems. It recognises that there's a place for Windows and Mac OS X and will install alongside them, share files with them, and generally be nice to them. This is very different from the Windows view that multibooting means choosing between Windows 7 and Vista.
13. Community support
The community support of Linux is unparalleled, mainly because there is no clear demarcation between developers and the rest of the community. Web forums and mailing lists are frequented by the software developers themselves, giving prompt and authoritative help, as well as the opportunity for users to give direct feedback and discuss suggestions with the developers.
14. Any colour you like, except brown
Everything on Linux has an alternative, from the desktop you use to the package manager and even the filesystem holding it all. You can pick what's best for your needs, whether you want impressive eye candy or fast and light for older hardware.
15. Pick and mix
With Linux, there is no commercial vendor trying to lock you into certain products or protocols. Instead, you're free to mix and match and choose what works best for your business. If you want to run KDE programs on a Gnome desktop or even the other way round, you can. If you want to cherry pick the best bits from each distro, you can. There are even DIY distros, such as Gentoo, that enable you to build a custom environment.
16. Security
Linux is inherently more secure than Windows, because security is a feature of the core system, not a boltedon afterthought. With a firewall at the heart of the kernel and the virtual impossibility of slipping malware into the software repositories, a Linux computer can devote all its resources to running your programs, rather than being bogged down with security programs running all the time.
17. Lack of malware
Malware is virtually unheard of on Linux. This is mainly down to the open source nature of the software. If you install from your distro's repositories, you know the software has been checked by them.
18. Thousands of programs included
A Linux distro is not just an operating system; it comes with thousands of free applications. While other systems consider a desktop, web browser and mailer to be all you need, a typical Linux distro includes everything you could possibly want: internet tools, office software, multimedia and games. If it's not on the installation disc, there are thousands more available for download.
19. No reinstallations
When problems occur in Linux, they can be fixed directly. You don't even need to reinstall when you want to update to the latest version of your distro.
20. Pick a distro
And if you don't like it, pick another, and another. Most distros keep user data on a separate partition, so you can flit between distros like a hyperactive butterfly, and still keep all your settings, emails and so on intact.
Sign up for TechRadar's free Weird Week in Tech newsletterGet the oddest tech stories of the week, plus the most popular news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up at http://www.techradar.com/register
Although considered an improvement in most respects over Windows 8, Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10 — set to launch Wednesday, July 29th — curiously changes course on a relatively useful and important feature: System Restore. Read on to find out why System Restore may be one of the first things you’ll want to enable after upgrading to Windows 10.
Getting to Know System Restore
First introduced more than 15 years ago as part of Windows ME, System Restore tracks software installations, driver changes, and software updates, and allows a user to revert their PC to a prior state if one of the aforementioned events causes a problem. For example, System Restore can make a backup of a PC’s graphics card driver just before a new driver is installed. If that new driver causes an issue — e.g., distorted colors, reduced resolution, or a blank screen — the user can initiate a System Restore procedure that will revert Windows back to the original working graphics driver.
By default, Windows will create a record of the changes introduced by a system or software event — something called a restore point — automatically as changes occur on a user’s PC. Users also have the option of manually creating restore points at any time, and are advised to do so before performing major upgrades or changes to the system.
Although sometimes likened to features like Time Machine in OS X, it’s important to note that System Restore isn’t a “backup” utility, at least not in the usual sense. It’s true that System Restore backs up important files related to Windows, such as registry files, drive and boot configurations, and hardware drivers, but the feature won’t back up your user data such as documents, music, or movies. Think of System Restore as backup for your computer— the files that keep the system functioning, regardless of user data — rather than backup for you.
The feature wasn’t perfect, of course, didn’t always work as intended, and required users to reserve a portion of each drive on which System Restore was enabled, but it was a handy and relatively easy to use safety measure that saved countless Windows users from bad drivers and botched upgrades.
But the true beauty of System Restore, as many computer repair technicians will attest, was that it was enabled by default on all recent versions of Windows. This often made software repairs for novice users much easier, as these users didn’t even know that System Restore was enabled on their PC, silently protecting them when they made the mistake of thinking that deleting their chipset drivers was a good idea.
As we’ve recently learned, however, that changes in Windows 10.
System Restore in Windows 10
The good news first: System Restore is available and fully functional in Windows 10. As we mentioned above, however, the bad news is that this feature is turned off by default. Even worse, the interface to enable and manage System Restore is relatively hidden in the legacy Control Panel, and isn’t something that a typical user will stumble upon while browsing the new Windows 10 Settings app. That leaves users on their own to eventually discover the feature, hear about it from colleagues, or find an article like this one on the Web.
While there are new update and restore features built in to Windows 10, including the option to roll the system back entirely to the previous version of Windows, System Restore may still be a good choice for many users. Here’s how you can enable System Restore in Windows 10.
The easiest way to find the System Restore configuration window in Windows 10 is to simply search for it via the Start Menu. Just click on the Search or Cortana icon in your desktop taskbar, or tap the Windows Key on your keyboard, and type System Restore.
You’ll see a search result appear labeled Create a restore point. Click it and you’ll be taken directly to the System Protection tab of the System Properties window, which is where System Restore options are located. Alternatively, you can navigate to this same location via Control Panel > System > System Protection.
If you’ve used System Restore in a previous version of Windows, you’ll recognize the interface. All eligible drives will be listed in the “Protection Settings” portion of the window, and you’ll need to manually enable System Restore on each drive you want protected. Due to the nature of System Restore, however, most users will only need to enable it on their primary C drive to gain adequate protection.
To enable System Restore in Windows 10, select your desired drive from the list and click Configure. In the new window that appears, click the option labeled Turn on system protection.
System Restore is useless without drive space in which to store its restore points, of course, so you’ll also need to reserve a portion of your drive for this purpose in the Disk Space Usage section of the window. As you drag the slider to the right, you’ll see the designated usage space represented both in actual size as well as a percentage of your drive. The more space you assign to System Restore, the more restore points you’ll have at your disposal in the event of a critical system issue. Assigning too much space, however, limits what’s available to you for applications and user data, so be sure to strike a good balance. On all but the smallest of drives, we recommend reserving at least 10GB for System Restore.
With your changes made, click Apply and then OK to save your new configuration and close the window. System Restore will now be enabled for your selected drive, and you can let it operate automatically in the background or manually create restore points as desired. If you ever encounter an issue and need to perform a System Restore, just head back to this same window and click System Restore to launch the restore interface. Of note, in the event of catastrophic issues where Windows is no longer bootable, you can access your system restore points from the Windows 10 recovery environment.
Why System Restore is Important in Windows 10
As we mentioned earlier, System Restore has served an important role for many users over the past 15 years of Windows, but it may be especially important for Windows 10 users in mission critical environments. In the lead up to the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft has revealed that most Windows 10 users will be required to apply system updates via the Windows Update service.
Microsoft has long used Windows Update to deliver security patches, bug fixes, and new features to users, and most users were strongly urged to accept the updates as they became available. But a measurable number of Windows users failed to update in a timely manner, and there was nothing Microsoft could do to force these users to upgrade.
Some users had good reasons to delay or avoid applying Windows updates: updates could potentially conflict with certain software or hardware, particularly in large businesses where custom software and configurations are common, and some updates were known tohave bugs that caused crashes or system instability. Other users simply neglected proper maintenance procedures and chose to leave their PCs unpatched.
Whatever the reason for avoiding Windows Updates, large numbers of Windows installations are currently running without the latest updates, a problem that creates a significant security vulnerability and one that Microsoft seeks to fix with Windows 10. Here’s how the Windows 10 update situation breaks down:
For all intents and purposes, there are three versions of Windows 10 that will be running on PCs this year: Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, and Windows 10 Enterprise. Most consumers will get their free upgrade to Windows 10 Home or Pro based on the version of Windows 7 or 8 they are currently running.
When it comes to Windows updates, Windows 10 Home users will be required by theWindows EULA to accept and install all security and feature updates that Microsoft releases. Some options exist to delay the installation of these updates for a short period of time, but Windows 10 Home users will get all Windows updates soon after they are released.
Windows 10 Pro users, on the other hand, have a little bit more flexibility, but it comes with a pretty big catch. These users can defer Windows updates for up to 8 months by electing to join the Current Branch for Business (CBB), an update roadmap intended for businesses that need to manage and schedule updates for large groups of mission critical systems. Beyond that maximum 8-month staging period, however, Windows 10 Pro users won’t be able to receive any future security fixes or feature improvements until they’ve accepted all previous updates.
Out of these three primary versions of Windows 10, only Windows 10 Enterprise users have the ability to truly defer updates, and they can do so for years while still receiving support from Microsoft. This was a necessary concession by Microsoft, of course, to ensure that enterprise customers have the flexibility to accommodate their unique needs, and Windows 10 Enterprise customers are paying for the privilege, as this version of Windows is ineligible for the free upgrade offer.
This move by Microsoft to force most Windows 10 users to accept updates will likely be a positive change overall — preventing and combating security threats will be easier once the majority of Windows users are running the latest version of the operating system — but it’s sure to cause issues for some users, especially in the early days. That’s where System Restore comes in.
Chances are that you’ll be running a version of Windows 10 covered by Microsoft’s mandatory update policy. In addition to proper user backups (you’re keeping good backups of your data, right?) and the recovery tools included in Windows 10, System Restore can provide another layer of security if one of these upcoming mandatory Windows updates has an inherent problem, or at the very least causes a compatibility issue unique to your PC and configuration. You’ll need to give up a small portion of your drive for system restore points, but it’s likely that you won’t give that small sacrifice a second thought if a future botched update forces you to turn to System Restore.
We hope that Microsoft eventually sorts out this new process for updating Windows, and that future updates are extremely reliable. Until then, however, it’s almost a certainty that some Windows 10 updates will slip through with potentially catastrophic bugs and compatibility issues. Absent abandoning Windows entirely, users will be forced to accept this new reality, and while the vast majority of users will be completely fine, it won’t hurt to have a handy System Restore point standing by in case of trouble.
Doing a clean install is quite simple, as long as you make sure you have a valid license. Here’s what you need to do:
Back up all your data first! Doing a clean install erases everything on your hard drive—apps, documents, everything. So, we do not recommend continuing until you have backed up any and all of your data.
If you bought a copy of Windows 10, you will have a license key in the box or in your email. Grab this license key and have it on hand. If you were previously a Windows 7 or 8 user, you are eligible for a free upgrade. However, according to Microsoft, you have to upgrade an existing computer to do so. So, even if you want to do a clean install, wait for the Windows 10 update to hit your computer, then install the upgrade first. It feels like a waste of time, but it’s the only way to ensure you you get your free license. Once you’ve done so, you won’t need a key—Windows will just “know” your computer from then on, even if you erase the drive. Just skip any prompts for license keys, and after installing Windows 10 it should activate itself automatically. Update, November 2015: Microsoft has finally fixed this convoluted process, and you no longer need to upgrade a computer to Windows 10. before doing a clean install. If you’re installing the latest build of Windows 10, you can skip this step and follow the below instructions to do a clean install. When prompted for a key, enter your Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 key to activate Windows 10.
Once you’ve either got your license key or installed the free Windows 10 upgrade, head to this page and download Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool. Launch it when it finishes downloading.
Select the “Create installation media for another PC” option and click Next (even if you’re using the computer on which you’re installing Windows 10).
Choose your language and edition of Windows. If you bought Windows 10, it’ll say which edition you have on the box or in your email. If you upgraded from Windows 7 or 8, you can check which version you have under Control Panel > System and Security > System.
Choose what kind of media you want to create. We recommend using a USB flash drive.
The Media Creation Tool will download and burn the installation files for you. When it’s done, restart your computer, keeping your flash drive plugged in.
Boot from your flash drive. You can usually do this by pressing F12 (or a similar key) at startup, then choosing your flash drive from the list that appears. If that doesn’t work, read this article for more options.
You should be greeted with the Windows 10 installer. Follow the initial prompts and, when given the option, choose “Custom: Install Windows Only”.
Select the hard drive you want to install Windows 10 on. If you aren’t sure which drive or partition it is, look for the largest one, or the one that says “Primary” in the right column—that’s probably it (but make extra sure before continuing, because you will erase that hard drive!)
Click the “Format” button. (If the Format button is grayed out, click “Delete”, then click “New”.) Press Next to install Windows on that drive.
Allow the installation wizard to guide you through the rest of the process.
There may be other methods that work (we’re still investigating), but this method worked well for me. Once you’ve installed Windows 10, just grab all your favorite apps and enjoy setting up your fresh machine!
