Customer Reviews

Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You can get it for free in pdf format at Apples developers website

This was an excellent book, when it first came out. Nowadays GUI's are much more advanced, but the fundamental characteristics of the MacOS are still the same. Much can be learned from the MacOS GUI design. The goes into great detail on every bit of the GUI, so you won't miss anything.

A fantastic introduction to not only the rules of good HMI design but the principles and reasons behind them. The basic principles apply to all man machine interfaces not only Mac's and not only GUI's. Can build apon the ideas presented in this book by reading a more modern style guide for your target environment afterwards.

I'm a supporter of the Mac since 1988 and I got this book in 1992, while starting my first software project in HyperCard (do you remember that little wonder?). I really think that this publication will make you think twice before any step of your programming and this can only be a good thing!

We can almost say that these guys are the ones that actually invented the concept of Human User Interface Design. We have to remember that the Mac IS this book and that's why Microsoft has always been trying to copy the Apple's user interface.

You will surely enjoy this book's style: easy and at the same time dead serious and even scientific about its topics. Interface planning will become second nature in most thing you'll do. Not just programming, but even your communications in general will be influenced by it.

You can download it from the Apple site now, but I do still prefer to read the real thing. ;-)