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Softworld: The GUI has landed

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25th Dec 2005
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One of the benefits of an event like Softworld Accounting & Finance is that you can walk around an exhibition hall and pick up visual cues on where the industry is going just by looking at the applications on the computer screens.

The autumn Softworld in Birmingham confirmed that the Windows XP age has truly arrived. Eight out of 10 applications have made the migration to the more brightly coloured Window frames, task panes and Explore-like file hierarchies driven by the latest iteration of Windows.

Starting with Microsoft Business Solutions, the new Navision 4.0 demonstrates what it calls "tight integration with the Microsoft technology stack".

Alan Moody, UK manager of Norwegian developer Mamut backed the Microsoft view. "I think the new interface is much software and makes it easier for users to get to what they're after.

While offering different products, both Assetware and ICS have just completed their ports to the latest edition of Windows. Demonstrating the new edition of ICS's dtx financials, distribution and stock suite for the mid-market, Glenn Cheetham highlighted the new GUI.

"It's vogue, isn't it," he commented. "One of the first questions people ask is, 'Is it Windows? Do you have an Explorer file structure?' People expect it."

Graham Hayden, technical director at Real Asset Management, set there were advantages to "XPesque" software. The ability to create navigation bars and give users the tools to construct their own menus added user-friendliness to applications. In Real's case, users could also drag and drop items across to a "to-do" list.

The same drag-drop facility meant users could create a report in the reporting module, and drag it on their "favourites" list in the main navigation bar.

"They're small changes, but necessary," he said. "The benefits to users is that it's easier to use and can cut down on the training required."

Hayden also said XP-based programs have to be entirely based on 32-bit Windows components. "Nowadays if a program doesnt' have the XP look, it probably still contains 16-bit code. That's old hat."

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