computer science

Point-and-shoot interface

Point-and-shoot interface is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Point-and-shoot interface rather than just read about it. In short: A point-and-shoot interface is an efficient text-based interface, usually presented on a non-GUI platform such as mainframe computers. In a point-and-shoot, many objects are displayed in a list, and to the left of each object is an input field.

Key takeaways

Point-and-shoot interface belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Point-and-shoot interface to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Point-and-shoot interface from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A point-and-shoot interface is an efficient text-based interface, usually presented on a non-GUI platform such as mainframe computers. In a point-and-shoot, many objects are displayed in a list, and to the left of each object is an input field. The operator interacts by moving the cursor to the desired object and marking it by typing a letter or number which represents a command or function.

Example An example of a point-and-shoot is presented here (the computer is an IBM System/36):

ACT01 YOUR APPLICATION GoTo Cust#______________ WORK WITH ACCOUNTS GoTo Name_______________ SORT BY CUSTOMER NUMBER GoTo Addr_______________ CUST# NAME ADDRESS _ 29358235 SMITH, MARY 100 PARK PLAZA _ 30493404 JONES, JOHN 271 LINCOLN AVE _ 34034559 HOOTON, DENISE 56 BROADWAY _ 36359523 HOWELL, BARBARA POST OFFICE BOX 2358 (More) COMMANDS: 2=Edit 4=Delete 5=Rename H=History P=Print COMMAND KEYS: RollUp/Dn 5=Add 6=Sort 7=End 8=Change Application 9=Reports 24=Sign off

The top of the display is called the header. It contains the program name and description, and it allows the operator to immediately "go to" a certain partial or complete customer ID, name, or address. It identifies the columns of data presented. The middle of the display is called the data area. It consists of one input-capable field and one output field per line. The bottom of the display is called the footer or the legend. It describes the commands the operator can use on each object, and the command keys the operator can use to control the application.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Point-and-shoot interface

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Point-and-shoot interface claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Point-and-shoot interface before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Point-and-shoot interface ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Point-and-shoot interface

In research: Point-and-shoot interface appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Point-and-shoot interface in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Point-and-shoot interface is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer terminals, History of human–computer interaction, User interface techniques, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Point-and-shoot interface outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Point-and-shoot interface in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Point-and-shoot interface means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Point-and-shoot interface out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Point-and-shoot interface in simple terms?

Why does Point-and-shoot interface matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Point-and-shoot interface?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Point-and-shoot interface.