Folder: About User Interfaces

Types of Buttons Types of Icons Types of Windows

Attention

Definition
Attention refers to people's ability to focus on things in order to gain information. Without focus, it's not possible to absorb information even if it's available.
Masonry Layout

way to display elements on screen (or in a webpage) such that they're placed in parallel columns (or, in rare cases, in parallel rows).
Tab

The multiple meanings of the term "tab" in a computer.
Text Box

User interface element that (typically) looks like a rectangle and lets you write text to be used by an application or form when it has keyboard focus.
Text Cursor

A user interface element that displays where the text you type in your keyboard will be inserted in a text editor.
Keyboard Focus

The ability of an user interface element to interpret input coming from the keyboard.
User

A person who uses any person that uses or using something.
Types of Buttons

A list of common types of buttons found across applications, operating systems, and websites.
Right-Click Main Menu

A main menu of an application that appears when you right click somewhere on its main window.
Statusbar

Horizontal bar found at the bottom of the main window of some applications that displays short messages and other information about the current state of the application.
To Hover

To place the mouse cursor over a button or other graphical user interface element without clicking on it.
User Interface Element

A tangible part of a graphical user interface. Some people call them "widgets," others call them "form controls."
GUI

Abbreviation for Graphical User Interface.
Graphical User Interface

Term that refers to windows, buttons, menus, icons, indicators, text labels, and other virtual objects displayed on the screen of a computer, that can be interacted with using the mouse, the keyboard, or other hardware interface such as a touch screen, necessary for a human to control a specific program: such as an application, operating system, or website.
Button

A physical button part of the hardware or a digital, graphical button on the screen that's part of a graphical user interface (GUI), which when pressed performs some operation.
To Click

To place the mouse cursor over it on the screen and then press a mouse button, typically the primary mouse button (left mouse button).
Thumbnail

What is a Thumbnail? A thumbnail is generally a small image automatically generated by a computer program from a larger image (e.g. a photo) that is supposed to represent the larger image. A thumbnail can also be generated from a video instead of an image, in which case the thumbnail represents the video. In some […]
Pane

A rectangular section of the window that contains some graphical user interface elements.
Modifier Keys

The keys Ctrl, Shift, Alt, and, sometimes, the Windows key.
Mouse Cursor

A small floating icon on the screen, typically a white diagonal arrow, that indicates the position of the mouse on the screen. As you move the mouse across the desk, the mouse cursor moves accordingly.