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IBM Common User Access

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405:(GUI) software was a novelty, so Apple took great pains to ensure that programs would conform to a single shared look and feel. CUA had a similar aim, but it faced the more difficult task of trying to impose this retroactively on an existing, thriving but chaotic industry, with the much more ambitious goal of unifying all UI, from personal computers to minicomputers to mainframes; and supporting both character and GUI modes, and both batch and interactive designs. By comparison, the Apple HIG only supported interactive GUI on a standalone personal computer. CUA also attempted to be a more measurable standard than the Apple HIG and had large sections formatted as checklists to measure compliance. 1354: 36: 1364: 1132: 590:. This changed the emphasis of the user's interactions to be the data (documents, pictures, and so on) that the user worked on. The emphasis on applications was removed with the intention of making the computer easier to use by matching users' expectations that they would work on documents using programs (rather than operating programs to work on documents). (See also 385:
Thus every program had to be learned individually and its complete user interface memorised. It was a sign of expertise to have learned the UIs of dozens of applications, since a novice user facing a new program would find their existing knowledge of a similar application either of no use or actively
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operating system during the period of joint IBM and Microsoft cooperation on OS/2 Presentation Manager. But later releases of IBM's CUA documents were not used for Microsoft products, and so CUA became less significant in the Windows environment. For instance, the
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CUA was more than just an attempt to rationalise DOS applications — it was part of a larger scheme to bring together, rationalise and harmonise the overall functions of software and hardware across IBM's entire computing range from microcomputers to mainframes.
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The first menu is to be called 'File' and contains operations for handling files (new, open, save, save as) as well as quitting the program; the next menu 'Edit' has commands for undo, redo, cut, copy, delete, paste
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CUA not only covers DOS applications, but is also the basis for the Windows Consistent User Interface standard (CUI), as well as that for OS/2 applications — both text-mode and the
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was introduced. Most of the standard keystrokes and basic GUI widgets specified by the CUA remain available in Windows. The well-known combination for closing a window,
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terminal (character-mode) applications, which preceded CUA by more than a decade. However, all major Unix GUI environments/toolkits, whether or not based on the
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Some of these standards can be seen in the operation of Windows itself and DOS-based applications like the MS-DOS 5 full-screen
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operating systems, parts of the CUA standard are now implemented in programs for other operating systems, including variants of
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IBM, Systems Application Architecture: Common User Access: Advanced Interface Design Reference, Document SC34-4290-00 1991
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IBM, Systems Application Architecture: Common User Access: Panel Design and User Interaction, Document SC26-4351-0, 1987.
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IBM, Systems Application Architecture: Common User Access: Advanced Interface Design Guide, Document SC26-4582-0, 1990.
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to cancel an action, while some used it to complete one; WordPerfect used it to repeat a character. Some programs used
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IBM, Systems Application Architecture: Common User Access: Guide to User Interface Design, Document SC34-4289-00 1991
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that have become so influential that they are implemented today by many programmers who have never read the CUA.
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IBM, Systems Application Architecture: Common User Access: Basic Interface Design Guide, Document SC26-4583-00
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accessed by a Help menu, which is the last option on the menu bar; context sensitive help can be summoned by
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Navigation within fields in dialog boxes is by cursor key; navigation between fields is by pressing the
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The detailed CUA specification, published in December 1987, is 328 pages long. It has similarities to
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a hindrance to understanding as learned behavior might need to be unlearned for the new application.
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https://web.archive.org/web/20070927082756/http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj/273/ibmsj2703E.pdf
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sometimes toggled between overtype and inserting characters, but some programs used it for "paste".
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The third edition of CUA took a radical departure from the first two by introducing the
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applications, which until then had independently implemented different user interfaces.
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The size of a window can be changed by dragging one of the 8 segments of the border.
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computer should look and function. When it was first written, the Mac was new, and
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to go to the end of a line, while some used it to complete filling in a form.
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explicitly featuring it as a design goal. The current major environments,
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Options are requested using secondary windows (often called dialog boxes);
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key, which discards changes, and an 'OK' button, activated by pressing
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Menu commands that require parameters to proceed are suffixed with an
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Object-oriented interface design: IBM common user access guidelines
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The CUA contains standards for the operation of elements such as
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Dialog boxes have a 'Cancel' button, activated by pressing the
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Human Interface Guidelines: The Apple Desktop Interface
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Options are divided into sections using notebook tabs;
800: 622:CUA never had significant impact on the design of 1380: 654:to be followed by any new Unix GUI environment. 468:key plus the underlined letter of the menu name; 723: 721: 197: 918:, IBM Systems Journal, Volume 31, Nº 3, 1992. 572:GUI — and IBM mainframes which conform to the 1003: 980:- A table of CUA-based hotkeys provided by a 876:. This link is down, PDF still available at: 793: 450:If applicable to the page/screen in question 155:and first published in 1987 as part of their 764: 718: 927:"The designer's model of the CUA workplace" 781:. Vol. 8, no. 5. pp. 176–216 755:"WordStar reference manual for release 3.3" 439:All operations can be done with either the 202:IBM wanted a standard way to interact with 1130: 1010: 996: 773:"Word Tools for the IBM Personal Computer" 457:Menus are activated/deactivated with the 366:(1982)), but in WordPerfect, help was on 120:Learn how and when to remove this message 896:from the original on September 27, 2007 770: 14: 1381: 56:Please improve this article by adding 991: 727: 1363: 827: 730:"Microsoft Windows: Eclectism in UI" 29: 828:Chen, Raymond (18 September 2018). 206:software, whether the screen was a 24: 971:CUA Window Emulation for SlickEdit 602:CUA strongly influenced the early 25: 1415: 1218:Information Presentation Facility 965:IBM BookManager SAA CUA bookshelf 939:from the original on May 30, 2005 844: 464:Menus are opened by pressing the 233:, the command to open a file was 1362: 1353: 1352: 1298:Systems Application Architecture 771:Shuford, Richard S. (May 1983). 728:Alsop, Stewart II (1988-01-18). 574:Systems Application Architecture 157:Systems Application Architecture 34: 1192:Warp Connect (PowerPC Edition) 821: 747: 592:object-oriented user interface 408: 210:connected to a mainframe or a 13: 1: 669: 225:For example, to open a file: 58:secondary or tertiary sources 1266:High Performance File System 597: 454:provides a refresh function; 370:instead. Some programs used 198:Motivations and inspirations 7: 701:(1st ed.). Que. 1992. 664:Table of keyboard shortcuts 657: 10: 1420: 1394:Human–computer interaction 1238:Windows Libraries for OS/2 650:is generally considered a 395:human interface guidelines 1399:User interface techniques 1348: 1327: 1306: 1251: 1210: 1139: 1128: 1054: 1032: 1025: 872:, Volume 27, Nº 3, 1988. 684:, 1992. (Partial archive) 435:. CUA hallmarks include: 351:to open the file browser. 267:, a file was opened with 248:, a file was opened with 204:text-based user interface 159:. Used originally in the 1017: 807:. Addison-Wesley. 1987. 507:, which accepts changes; 403:graphical user interface 338:to allow commands, then 311:, a file is opened with 69:"IBM Common User Access" 1223:Installable File System 914:, by Richard E. Berry, 27:User interface standard 151:. It was developed by 45:relies excessively on 1278:Journaled File System 271:(to open the menus), 252:(to open the menus), 183:. It is also used by 1233:Presentation Manager 570:Presentation Manager 139:) is a standard for 1293:System Object Model 870:IBM Systems Journal 1261:Common User Access 1078:Christine Comaford 976:2020-03-24 at the 619:, stems from CUA. 510:Applications have 423:keyboard shortcuts 133:Common User Access 18:Common User Access 1376: 1375: 1335:Odin (Win32-OS/2) 1126: 1125: 1064:(chief architect) 1042:(1.0 to 1.3 only) 834:The Old New Thing 652:de facto standard 644:Microsoft Windows 604:Microsoft Windows 177:Microsoft Windows 149:computer programs 145:operating systems 130: 129: 122: 104: 16:(Redirected from 1411: 1366: 1365: 1356: 1355: 1134: 1030: 1029: 1012: 1005: 998: 989: 988: 956: 948: 946: 944: 938: 931: 913: 905: 903: 901: 895: 888: 866:Richard E. Berry 863: 855: 838: 837: 825: 819: 818: 806: 797: 791: 790: 788: 786: 768: 762: 761: 759: 751: 745: 744: 734: 725: 712: 496:moves backwards; 327:(for find-file). 275:(for Transfer), 125: 118: 114: 111: 105: 103: 62: 38: 30: 21: 1419: 1418: 1414: 1413: 1412: 1410: 1409: 1408: 1404:OS/2 technology 1379: 1378: 1377: 1372: 1344: 1323: 1302: 1253: 1247: 1243:Workplace Shell 1206: 1135: 1122: 1113:John R. Patrick 1050: 1021: 1016: 978:Wayback Machine 950: 942: 940: 936: 929: 925: 916:Cliff J. Reeves 907: 899: 897: 893: 886: 882: 857: 850: 847: 842: 841: 826: 822: 815: 798: 794: 784: 782: 769: 765: 757: 753: 752: 748: 732: 726: 719: 709: 697: 672: 660: 628:X Window System 618: 614: 600: 585:object-oriented 560: 556: 548: 544: 536: 532: 517: 506: 502: 495: 491: 487: 467: 460: 453: 411: 399:Apple Macintosh 381: 377: 373: 369: 357: 350: 347: 344: 341: 337: 326: 322: 318: 314: 303: 300:), followed by 296:(to get to the 295: 292: 289: 278: 274: 270: 260:(for Retrieve). 259: 255: 251: 240: 236: 200: 141:user interfaces 126: 115: 109: 106: 63: 61: 55: 51:primary sources 39: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1417: 1407: 1406: 1401: 1396: 1391: 1374: 1373: 1371: 1370: 1360: 1349: 1346: 1345: 1343: 1342: 1337: 1331: 1329: 1325: 1324: 1322: 1321: 1316: 1310: 1308: 1304: 1303: 1301: 1300: 1295: 1290: 1285: 1283:New Executable 1280: 1275: 1274: 1273: 1263: 1257: 1255: 1249: 1248: 1246: 1245: 1240: 1235: 1230: 1225: 1220: 1214: 1212: 1208: 1207: 1205: 1204: 1199: 1194: 1189: 1184: 1179: 1174: 1169: 1164: 1159: 1154: 1149: 1143: 1141: 1140:Major versions 1137: 1136: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1123: 1121: 1120: 1118:Mark Zbikowski 1115: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1085: 1080: 1075: 1070: 1068:Barry Appelman 1065: 1058: 1056: 1052: 1051: 1049: 1048: 1043: 1036: 1034: 1027: 1023: 1022: 1015: 1014: 1007: 1000: 992: 986: 985: 968: 962: 923: 880: 846: 845:External links 843: 840: 839: 820: 813: 792: 763: 746: 716: 715: 714: 713: 707: 695: 690: 685: 679: 676: 671: 668: 667: 666: 659: 656: 616: 612: 599: 596: 566: 565: 562: 558: 554: 546: 542: 534: 530: 523: 519: 515: 508: 504: 500: 497: 493: 489: 485: 482: 479: 476: 469: 465: 462: 458: 455: 451: 448: 410: 407: 391:Apple Computer 379: 375: 371: 367: 358:was often the 355: 353: 352: 348: 345: 342: 339: 335: 328: 324: 320: 316: 312: 305: 301: 293: 290: 287: 280: 276: 272: 268: 265:Microsoft Word 261: 257: 253: 249: 242: 238: 234: 199: 196: 128: 127: 42: 40: 33: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1416: 1405: 1402: 1400: 1397: 1395: 1392: 1390: 1387: 1386: 1384: 1369: 1361: 1359: 1351: 1350: 1347: 1341: 1338: 1336: 1333: 1332: 1330: 1326: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1311: 1309: 1305: 1299: 1296: 1294: 1291: 1289: 1286: 1284: 1281: 1279: 1276: 1272: 1269: 1268: 1267: 1264: 1262: 1259: 1258: 1256: 1250: 1244: 1241: 1239: 1236: 1234: 1231: 1229: 1226: 1224: 1221: 1219: 1216: 1215: 1213: 1209: 1203: 1200: 1198: 1195: 1193: 1190: 1188: 1185: 1183: 1180: 1178: 1175: 1173: 1170: 1168: 1165: 1163: 1160: 1158: 1155: 1153: 1150: 1148: 1145: 1144: 1142: 1138: 1133: 1119: 1116: 1114: 1111: 1109: 1108:Gordon Letwin 1106: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1098:Galina Kofman 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1084: 1081: 1079: 1076: 1074: 1071: 1069: 1066: 1063: 1060: 1059: 1057: 1053: 1047: 1044: 1041: 1038: 1037: 1035: 1031: 1028: 1024: 1020: 1013: 1008: 1006: 1001: 999: 994: 993: 990: 983: 979: 975: 972: 969: 966: 963: 960: 954: 935: 928: 924: 921: 917: 911: 892: 885: 881: 879: 875: 871: 867: 861: 853: 849: 848: 835: 831: 824: 816: 814:0-201-17753-6 810: 805: 804: 796: 780: 779: 774: 767: 756: 750: 742: 738: 731: 724: 722: 717: 710: 704: 700: 696: 694: 691: 689: 686: 683: 680: 677: 674: 673: 665: 662: 661: 655: 653: 649: 645: 641: 637: 633: 629: 625: 620: 610: 605: 595: 593: 589: 586: 581: 577: 575: 571: 563: 552: 540: 528: 524: 520: 513: 509: 498: 483: 480: 477: 474: 470: 463: 456: 449: 446: 442: 438: 437: 436: 434: 431: 426: 424: 420: 416: 406: 404: 400: 396: 392: 387: 383: 365: 361: 333: 329: 310: 306: 299: 285: 281: 266: 262: 247: 243: 232: 228: 227: 226: 223: 221: 217: 213: 209: 208:dumb terminal 205: 195: 193: 189: 186: 182: 178: 174: 170: 166: 162: 158: 154: 150: 146: 142: 138: 134: 124: 121: 113: 110:December 2013 102: 99: 95: 92: 88: 85: 81: 78: 74: 71: –  70: 66: 65:Find sources: 59: 53: 52: 48: 43:This article 41: 37: 32: 31: 19: 1389:IBM software 1260: 1254:and concepts 1187:Warp Connect 1073:Joe Belfiore 1062:Ed Iacobucci 941:. Retrieved 898:. Retrieved 833: 823: 802: 795: 783:. Retrieved 776: 766: 749: 740: 736: 698: 621: 601: 582: 578: 567: 427: 415:dialog boxes 412: 393:'s detailed 388: 384: 354: 319:followed by 298:Opening Menu 297: 256:(for File), 224: 216:VGA graphics 201: 136: 132: 131: 116: 107: 97: 90: 83: 76: 64: 44: 1314:eComStation 1103:Barry Leiba 1088:Naveen Jain 1083:Moshe Dunie 951:(3.74  908:(2.68  858:(1.95  737:P.C. Letter 529:command is 512:online help 430:text editor 409:Description 364:Volkswriter 279:(for Load). 246:Lotus 1-2-3 231:WordPerfect 1383:Categories 1307:Successors 1252:Technology 1228:LAN Server 1211:Components 1093:Susan Kare 1026:Developers 943:October 1, 785:19 October 708:1565291700 670:References 609:Start menu 80:newspapers 47:references 1340:Team OS/2 1040:Microsoft 1033:Companies 982:SlickEdit 959:Citations 920:Citations 874:Citations 743:(2): 6–7. 648:OSF/Motif 598:Influence 588:workplace 522:commands; 362:(such as 1358:Category 1328:See also 1202:Warp 4.5 1197:Warp 4.0 1182:Warp 3.0 974:Archived 934:Archived 900:July 12, 891:Archived 658:See also 473:ellipsis 445:keyboard 433:edit.com 360:help key 284:WordStar 1368:Commons 1271:Pinball 854:. 1998. 555:⇧ Shift 531:⇧ Shift 490:⇧ Shift 443:or the 161:MVS/ESA 94:scholar 1319:ArcaOS 1288:Shadow 1055:People 949:  906:  856:  811:  705:  505:Return 475:("…"); 334:, use 169:OS/400 165:VM/CMS 96:  89:  82:  75:  67:  937:(PDF) 930:(PDF) 894:(PDF) 887:(PDF) 864:, by 758:(PDF) 733:(PDF) 636:GNOME 551:Paste 494:Tab ↹ 488:key; 486:Tab ↹ 441:mouse 419:menus 346:space 340:: 309:emacs 214:with 192:Swing 101:JSTOR 87:books 1162:1.21 1019:OS/2 984:mode 967:1992 945:2009 902:2007 809:ISBN 787:2013 778:BYTE 703:ISBN 638:and 624:Unix 543:Ctrl 539:Copy 525:The 461:key; 421:and 321:Ctrl 313:Ctrl 212:PS/2 190:and 185:Java 181:Unix 175:and 173:OS/2 147:and 73:news 1177:2.1 1172:2.0 1167:1.3 1157:1.2 1152:1.1 1147:1.0 1046:IBM 953:MiB 910:MiB 860:MiB 646:or 640:KDE 632:CDE 613:Alt 594:.) 559:Ins 553:is 547:Ins 541:is 535:Del 527:Cut 501:Esc 466:Alt 459:F10 380:Ins 376:End 372:Esc 336:Esc 330:In 307:In 282:In 269:Esc 263:In 244:In 229:In 220:DOS 188:AWT 153:IBM 143:to 137:CUA 49:to 1385:: 932:. 889:. 868:, 832:. 775:. 739:. 735:. 720:^ 617:F4 576:. 549:; 537:; 516:F1 452:F5 417:, 368:F3 356:F1 332:vi 286:, 237:, 235:F7 194:. 171:, 167:, 163:, 60:. 1011:e 1004:t 997:v 961:. 955:) 947:. 922:. 912:) 904:. 862:) 836:. 817:. 789:. 760:. 741:4 711:. 615:+ 561:; 557:+ 545:+ 533:+ 518:; 492:+ 447:; 349:. 343:e 325:f 323:+ 317:x 315:+ 304:. 302:D 294:D 291:K 288:^ 277:L 273:T 258:R 254:F 250:/ 241:. 239:3 135:( 123:) 117:( 112:) 108:( 98:· 91:· 84:· 77:· 54:. 20:)

Index

Common User Access

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"IBM Common User Access"
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Learn how and when to remove this message
user interfaces
operating systems
computer programs
IBM
Systems Application Architecture
MVS/ESA
VM/CMS
OS/400
OS/2
Microsoft Windows
Unix
Java
AWT
Swing
text-based user interface
dumb terminal
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VGA graphics

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