Scientific Letter Interface

Equation editor of the Scientific Letter has the math typesetting-oriented interface. On this page it conception will be described.

General

Design

The scientific mailer looks like a usual MS Windows application. All main program elements are easily recognizable, but most of them have been modified to make the application more attractive and fashionable. (See screenshots)

Usability

As a rule, there is only one way to perform each particular operation. This makes working with the scientific mailer considerably easier, than having several ways to perform the same task. This is the way our mind works - if there is only one way to do something and you do it just twice, by the third time it comes totally naturally. No additional thinking is required.

If the user has a choice concerning the way commands are given, he first must choose which command to use and then act on that choice. But, this means that he cannot turn the operation into a reflex action. This results both in decreasing the speed of the user's work and in small conflicts with the equation editor.

Sometimes, though, you can perform the same command, either with the mouse or the keyboard. This is done only for your convenience. For example, you can select text or scroll pages with the keyboard or the mouse.

Simple Menu

It may seem that other mail clients have much more useful features. But, this is not so. This impression results from the fact that other mailers have many ways to do one and the same thing. Such a variety is hard on the user and actually makes the work more difficult (see above).

Math Typesetting-Oriented Equation Editor

The Scientific Letter Equation Editor is developed with the user's regular work in mind. A typical user often uses math symbols and requires insertions of equations in his messages. This is why Scientific Letter has some minor differences from the standard MS Windows graphical interface. These differences make the typesetting for user faster and easier.

According to the standards, the equation editor should have made use of toolbars with math symbols and expressions on them. Such an interface can be found in popular math typesetting software such as Scientific Word, MS Equation 3.0 and MathType. But let's see what the user has to do to typesetting an "equal to" math symbol in the text.

What happens while using toolbars

• The user types a message and realizes that he needs to insert the "equal to" math symbol.
• Moves his hand from the keyboard to the mouse.
• Moves the mouse to the left and to the right to locate the cursor on the screen.
• Looks for the toolbar.
• Moves the mouse cursor to it.
• Looks through the buttons trying to remember which one opens the window with math symbols among which there is the one he needs.
• If he remembers, he moves the cursor carefully over the button and clicks the left mouse button.
• The window opens.
• In the window the user looks for the "equal to" math symbol.
• If he finds it, he moves the cursor carefully over it (the icon is small so it is difficult to do it carefully) and clicks the left mouse button.
• The math symbol is inserted into the text.
• Before laying his hand back on the keyboard, the user ususally moves the mouse away from the keyboard as a reflex action.
• The user moves his hand away from the mouse and puts it back on the keyboard to go on typesetting the text.

What happens when using the popup window

• The user types a message and realizes that he needs to insert the "equal to" math symbol.
• Presses the "Alt" key and the popup window is displayed on the screen.
• In the window the user finds the necessary symbol and a tip - the keyboard shortcut that should be pressed to insert the math symbol.
• While holding down the "Ctrl" key, "Alt" key, he pressed the "=" key two times, releases it and releases "Alt" and "Ctrl".
• The math symbol is inserted in the text.

Conclusion: the popup window makes math typesetting faster

Thus, the editor making use of the popup window makes the math typesetting of math symbols and expressions many times faster.

What happens when you insert the math symbols for the fifth (sixth, seventh, etc.) time? Using a toolbar, it is the same long procedure. But, when using hotkeys, the user does not look for a tip any more. It is already a reflex action for him to press "Alt" and "=" twice. In this case, the user does not take time to "fight with the software". He does not even notice it. You do not notice the pen in your hand when you are writing an equation, do you? Because writing is a reflex action. Scientific Letter achieves the same effect.