N / JOY

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

N / JOY - The World of Objects is the name of a software package that provides a complete working environment for creating and managing documents. N / JOY was only for the operating system OS / 2 from IBM available. The name is derived from the English word enjoy ; the slash should be a reference to the spelling of OS / 2.

N / JOY was produced and distributed by Vienna Software Publishing-EDV Software VerlagsGmbH . The last version, 2.0, appeared in 1992.

The program fit on two 3.5 " floppy disks . N / JOY appears on the OS / 2 user interface ( Workplace Shell ) like a normal program. After starting, N / JOY fills the entire screen and functions as its own user interface (similar to Microsoft Bob ).

The meaning of N / JOY

N / JOY has long been out of date, but has an extraordinary graphical user interface (GUI) and is mentioned from time to time in specialist literature because of its exotic interface and operation.

service

Every new user starts with a desktop called a room . It is possible to create additional rooms that can function as virtual screens.

N / JOY does not use any of the usual controls such as drop-down menus or buttons. Only certain settings windows appear in the conventional style. Instead, there is a symbol - called an object - for each function . Fonts are embodied by pencil objects, the copy function appears as a photocopier, the search function as a search dog, etc. In addition, there are familiar elements such as folders, cupboards and a wastebasket . All objects are selected from the catalog (blue object at the bottom right).

On the picture you can see:

  • in the middle a text document with the title Wikipedia and the text "Hello, Wikipedia!"
  • below (from left to right) objects for page numbers, clipboard, printer, e-mail and the catalog (see above)
  • above (from left to right) the search function, a folder, a box and the help function
  • Left (from top to bottom): The exit (ends N / JOY), the door to a room called the archive , a container for pencils, two copiers, one of which is set to five copies, a color palette that was used to color the copier , two pencils (the active font is Helvetica , size 16 bold), the trash and a template for documents.

As usual with OS / 2, it is operated with a two-button mouse . Objects are marked with the right mouse button. Objects are activated with the left mouse button . When activating, the function embodied by the activated object is applied to the selected object.

Example: To copy an object, mark it (with a right click) and then click with the left mouse button on the photocopier. The copy appears immediately next to the photocopier. The number on the photocopier indicates the number of copies. It is possible to have multiple photocopiers set up for different numbers of copies.

The other objects work in the same way: instead of a menu for fonts, you have pencils, each of which represents a font and font size. The pencil of the currently selected font appears in the writing position. You can copy the pencils and change them individually.

N / JOY can generate documents with different areas ( word processing , spreadsheet ), take over data from other documents or databases and keep them up to date, as well as generate forms and serial letters.

In connection with a server, N / JOY can work as a multi-user system.