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Keep Interfaces Consistent


The main purpose of the OSF/Motif Style Guide is to ensure consistency. Consistency is important both among applications and within a single application. Consistency helps the user transfer familiar skills to new situations. The user can apply the knowledge learned from one application to another application, reducing the amount of learning and subsequent recall. Consistency within applications facilitates exploration of new functions. When components work in a manner that is consistent with other components, the user will be less afraid to try new functions. The new functions will seem familiar, comfortable, and appropriate. The guidelines in the OSF/Motif Style Guide allow you to create applications that are consistent in a diverse market and that help your applications succeed in the marketplace.

Intraapplication consistency means the following:

Consistency among applications increases the user's sense of mastery. Experience with one application can be readily applied to another application, creating a positive transfer of knowledge. The task at hand, rather than learning a new application, becomes the focus of a computer session. When applications work in a manner that is consistent with other applications, users enjoy a feeling of immediate confidence in their ability to master the new program. Also, they are pleasantly surprised when trying new functions because, although new, the functions seem familiar.

Interapplication consistency means the following: