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Aaron Marcus, Nick Smilonich, Lynne Thompson
The Cross-GUI Handbook
For Multiplatform User Interface Design
Addison-Wesley, 1994
304 pages
ISBN: 0-2015-7592-2

This book was released in 1995 and its main purpose is being a comparison of the popular GUIs: Macintosh, OSF/Motif, NeXTSTEP, OS/2’s Presentation Manager and Microsoft Windows. It tries to do it on various levels: visual, methodological, terminological, giving away free design tips in the process. However, the book has aged rather badly – it won’t be of much use to contemporary UI designers, and is simply too ugly to put on a representative bookshelf.

The following paragraphs are quoted verbatim from the back cover:

Interactive software applications often must 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 handbook is the first comprehensive source for comparative information about the principal GUIs currently available. With detailed comparisons 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.

The GUI environments covered are:
Microsoft Windows and Windows NT
OSF/Motif
NeXTSTEP
IBM OS/2 Presentation Manager
Apple Macintosh

Prefacevii
Acknowledgmentsxi
1. Design Principles1
1.1. Human Factors4
Empower the User4
Reduce the User’s Information Load5
1.2. Presentation7
Create Aesthetic Appeal7 
Use Meaningful and Recognizable Representations8 
Maintain a Consistent Interface9
1.3. Interaction10
Use Direct Manipulation11 
Provide Immediate Feedback12 
Make the Interface Forgiving12 
Conclusion13
2. Desktop15
2.1. Desktop and Its Environment17
2.2. Desktop Metaphor19
2.3. Desktop Objects19
File Deletion Object20 
Printer Object22 
Desktop Accessories22
2.4. Desktop Managers24
2.5. Comparison of Desktop Environments25
Macintosh Desktop Environment25
OSF/Motif Desktop Environment26
NeXTSTEP Desktop Environment27
IBM CUA Workplace Shell28
Microsoft Windows Desktop Environment30
2.6. Icon Design31
2.7. Desktop Trends32
Object-Oriented User Interface32 
Virtual Desktop36 
New Look and Feel37 
Conclusion37
3. Windows39
3.1. Elements of a Window41
3.2. Window Controls44
3.3. Types of Windows49
Application Windows50 
Document Windows51 
Dialog Boxes51 
Other Window Types52 
Comparison of Window Types52
3.4. Window Hierarchy57
Primary Windows58 
Secondary Windows58
3.5. Window Status59
Active and Inactive Windows59 
Key Windows60
3.6. Window Behaviors61
Opening a Window61 
Closing a Window61 
Positioning a Window62 
Moving a Window63 
Changing the Size of a Window64 
Maximizing a Window66 
Minimizing a Window67 
Splitting a Window68 
Switching from Window to Window69
3.7. Window Arrangement70
Overlapping Windows70 
Cascading Windows71 
Tiling Windows72 
Conclusion73
4. Menus75
4.1. Menu Presentation77
4.2. Components of a Menu79
4.3. Types of Menus81
Pull-Down Menus81 
Cascading Menus83 
Pop-Up Menus84 
Tear-Off Menus86 
Additional Menu Types88
4.4. Types of Menu Items89
4.5. Desktop Menus89
Pop-Up Desktop Menus90 
Desktop Control Menu91 
Apple-Controlling Menus92 
NeXTSTEP Application Dock92 
Future Desktop Menu92
4.6. Application Menus93
Application Control Menu93 
Standard Application Menus94
4.7. Object Menus99 
Conclusion100
5. Controls103
5.1. Check Box (Check Button)105
5.2. Close Control108
5.3. Combination Box (Combo Box)109
5.4. Command Button (Push Button)111
5.5. Container114
5.6. Drop-Down Combination Box115
5.7. Drop-Down List Box116
5.8. List Box (Selection List or Scrolling List)118
5.9. Maximize Button121
5.10. Minimize Button122
5.11. Multimedia Controls124
5.12. Notebook126
5.13. Radio Button (Option Button)126
5.14. Restore Button129
5.15. Scroll Bar130
6. Dialog Boxes145
6.1. Elements of a Dialog Box148
6.2. Dialog Box Controls150
6.3. Dialog Box Behaviors157
Modal versus Modeless157 
Movable versus Fixed160 
Resizable versus Nonsizable167 
Unfolding Dialogs167
6.4. Common Dialog Boxes163
Message Dialog Boxes163
About <application-name> Dialog Boxes166
File Open Dialog Boxes168
Page Setup Dialog Boxes168
Print Dialog Boxes169
6.5. General Design Tips170
Selection of Dialog Box Types170
Placement of Dialog Boxes170
Size of Dialog Boxes177
Selection of Dialog Box Controls177
Organization of Dialog Box Controls172
Density of Dialog Boxes175
6.6. Dialog Box Trends176
Dialog Box Metaphors176 
Multimedia Considerations177 
Conclusion178
7. Interaction and Feedback179
7.1. Interaction Model182
7.2. Interaction Devices and Their Operations185
Keyboard186
Pointing Devices188
Pointers and Cursors195 
7.3. Object-Action Model198 
7.4. Object Types and Classes198
Text Data199
Field Data199
Graphic Data199
7.5. Manipulation Principles200
Direct Manipulation201
Indirect Manipulation202
Other Manipulation Techniques202
7.6. Selection202
Selection Types203 
Selection Highlighting205 
Selection Techniques205
7.7. Drag and Drop217
7.8. Activation218
7.9. Navigation (Transversal)220
7.10. Data Transfer221
7.11. Providing Feedback222
Visual Feedback223 
Textual Feedback230 
Auditory Feedback230
7.12. System Modes230
System-Busy Mode231 
General-Control Mode231 
Text-Editing Mode231 
Conclusion232
Appendix A: Comparison of Windowing System Component Terminology233
Desktop and Desktop Managers233
Window Elements234
Controls235
Types of Windows237
Types of Menus237
Standard Application Menus238
Dialog Box Behavior239
Types of Message Dialog Boxes239
Mouse Operations240
Types of Selection240
Pointers241
Appendix B: Comparison of Windowing System Components – Graphical Representations243
Desktop Environments243
Window Elements245
Types of Message Dialog Box Icons248
Pointers249
Controls251
Selected Bibliography259
Index261
About the Authors275