Moving from text-based to graphical user interface

It seems peculiar that in 2004 a discussion regarding the movement from a text-based (IB) interface to a graphical user interface (GUI) would be taking place. After all, user-friendly GUIs have been available since the early 1990's. However, the reality is government-funded test equipment has historically been built around specialized computer and controller systems that do not lend themselves to a GUI. Computer replacement programs are expensive to implement. To prevent having to fund updating all of the test software, computer replacement programs often require that "existing" test software be able to execute without modification on the upgraded system. It has only been in recent years that the government has been forced to replace TB systems with currently available systems due to diminished manufacturer support or parts obsolescence. The systems available today typically have GUIs. However, the limitations associated with TB systems are carried forward to the GUI capable system due to the requirement that the system execute "existing" software. TB systems are confined to the written word to describe operator interactions with the test system. The interaction descriptions are open for interpretation by the operator. This limitation is compounded if the operator is reading instructions written in a language other than their native language. To reduce the impact of the operator misinterpretation, TB software is complemented with extensive technical documentation and intensive training programs. These limitations and others associated with TB systems are discussed in this paper. This paper shows how a GUI based system complemented with multimedia enhancements can reduce and in some cases eliminate the need for extensive technical documentation and training.