Provides a practical reference for programmers and interface designers developing software to run on a range of platforms. These platforms include the most common graphical user interfaces (GUIs) - Microsoft Windows and Windows NT, IBM presentation manager, NEXTStep and Apple Macintosh 7.0.

Interactive software applications must often operate on multiple computer platforms. These platforms today generally feature graphical user interfaces (GUIs)-interfaces that are similar in purpose on each platform, but that differ, sometimes obviously, occasionally subtly, in their details. The software developer must be aware of these similarities and differences to ensure the consistency of any given application from one platform to another.

This handook is the first comprehensive source for comparative information about the principal GUIs currently available. With detailed comparison of the features, capabilities, and strengths of these GUIs, the book is a practical reference for user interface design. In clearly presenting the terminology, appearance, interaction and common behavior of each GUI, it condenses into a single convenient volume the details you need for your applications to operate with a consistent look and feel across multiple platforms. Other features include design guidelines for portability and migration, and recommendations for handling conflicting or incomplete style guides. The book also sets the foundation for designing an object-oriented user interface, incorporating new technologies such as multimedia and pen interface.

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