System nie formats are not usually considered part of the user interface, but interaction with these files using standard, third-party programs, userwritten BASIC programs, or text edi tors can significantly expand the utility of the instrument software. Because of the sales volumes involved, it is not possible for the instrument manufac turer to provide all the functions that potential customers might desire. However, if the data are stored in ASCII files with well-documented for mats, it is easy to customize postrun calculations, report formats, or archiv ing options (such as transfer to a LIMS system) using BASIC programs, com mercial spreadsheet programs, data base management products, or com mercial communications programs. If the instrument software supports a sample description file with sample identifications, sample weight values, and so on in a documented ASCII for mat, these can be constructed with a simple program interfaced to an auto matic balance for recording the sample weight. Directions for the future
I believe that the most important trend will be greater standardization of user interface designs based on the directmanipulation user interface style. The Macintosh line of computers is com mitted to this style, and products such as GEM and Microsoft Windows have introduced it to users of the IBM PC family and compatible computers. The recent introduction of OS/2 and the ex pected fall 1988 introduction of the Presentation Manager should acceler ate this trend, as will increases in com puter power and greater use of graphics coprocessors. User interfaces of this type are even beginning to appear on Unix-based systems, long noted for their unfriendliness. The quality of user interface design on commercial analytical instruments should gradually improve as users and manufacturers begin to understand the importance of this component. Im provements in rapid prototyping tools will allow alternatives to be explored before a final design is selected for im plementation. Greater standardization of the user interface style will allow the designers to concentrate on function and organization rather than on the de tails of the interaction style. I expect to see more emphasis on open systems that users can tailor to their special needs. Wider use of welldocumented ASCII file formats will al low the analyst to make better use of the information generated by the in strument, and better integrated pro gramming languages will allow custom ized operation of the instrument for special needs. The tutorials and reference manuals
supplied with software-based products will probably improve. Many of the manuals provided with office produc tivity software packages are setting good examples, and purchasers of ana lytical instruments will expect similar materials. The price of software for analytical instruments is likely to increase as the quality of design improves. It is costly to create the quality of software ex pected by analytical chemists because of the complexity of the tasks required. At the same time, the market size is relatively small compared with that of other, more popular types of software. Companies creating specialized prod ucts for analytical instruments will be forced to charge higher prices to com pensate for their efforts.
There are 224 reasons why . . .
most chemists in the US. belong to the American Chemical Society.
References (1) Ziegler, E. Anal. Chim. Acta 1980,122, 315-22. (2) O'Haver, T. C. Trends in Anal. Chem. 1985,4,191-94. (3) Karanassios, V.; Horlick, G. Appl. Spectrosc. 1987,41,360-80. (4) Heckel, P. C. Computers and People Sept.-Oct. 1984,8-11,26. (5) Goleman, D. Psychology Today March 1984,20-23. (6) Hansen, W. J. In Proceedings of the Fall Joint Computer Conference; AFIPS Press: Arlington, VA, 1971; pp. 523-32. (7) Shneiderman, B. Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Hu man-Computer Interaction; AddisonWesley: Reading, MA, 1987. (8) Tesler, L. Byte August 1981,90+. (9) Krasner, G. (Ed.). Smalltalk-80: Bits of History, Words of Advice; AddisonWesley: Reading, MA, 1983. (10) Smith, D. C.; Irby, C; Kimball, R.; Verplank, B. Byte April 1982,242+.
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Yes! William B. Barnett is a principal sci entist with the Inorganic Analysis De partment of the Perkin-Elmer Corpo ration. He received a B.S. degree from Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, in 1963 and a Ph.D. degree in analytical chemistry from Iowa State University, Ames, IA, in 1968. At Perkin-Elmer he has been responsible for specifying many of the atomic absorption prod ucts introduced during the past 10 years. His research interests are in the application of computers and software to the design of analytical instru ments, with particular emphasis on user interface design.
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 60. NO. 20, OCTOBER 15, 1988 • 1175 A
