Abstract
Placing menus against the edge of the screen reduces selection times because it creates an impenetrable border between the menu and the edge of the screen that the mouse cursor cannot penetrate (Walker, Smelcer, & Nilsen, 1991). The presence of the impenetrable border changes how users move the mouse, so that selection times quicken compared to menus with a penetrable border. However, it is not readily apparent whether or not GUI users could realize the advantages of impenetrable borders without instruction. The purpose of this experiment was to assess whether or not users would discover the benefits of impenetrable borders spontaneously. Results suggest that only 50% of participants who were unaware of the presence of the impenetrable border actually detected it. Additionally, with practice participants who were successful at detecting the impenetrable border selected the targets as quickly as participants who received full instruction concerning the benefits of impenetrable borders.
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