Thesis (M.S. in Computer Science)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2004. / Thesis advisor(s): Cynthia Irvine, Paul Clark. Includes bibliographical references (p. 189-190). Also available online.

Thesis (M.S. in Computer Science)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2004. / Thesis advisor(s): Cynthia Irvine, Paul C. Clark. Includes bibliographical references (p. 167-168). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Northcentral University, 2006. / Title from screen (viewed on July 22, 2009). Department of Psychology, Northcentral University. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-71).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Syracuse University, 2007. / "Publication number: AAT 3295549."

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2005. Graduate Programme in Communication and Culture. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-91). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11855

Thesis (MPH) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / Topic An investigation of the visual and systemic symptoms experienced by computer users at the National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) and British Petroleum (BP) in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Background The repetitive use of computers in the working places results in the visual and ergonomic disorders that affect the computer users adversely. The computer users experience fatigue which causes visual symptoms such as eyestrain, blurred vision, heaviness of the eyelids or forehead, dry eyes, sensitivity to light and irritatedeyes. The ergonomic disorders like neck pain, backache and wrist pain are also experienced by computer users. These conditions are collectively called Computer Vision Syndrome which is considered as an occupational hazard. Uncorrected refractive errors and binocular anomalies can contribute to these symptoms. The visual and systemic symptoms that affect the computer users in the workplace need to be investigated. Purpose The purpose of the study was to subjectively investigate the visual and systemic symptoms experienced by computer users in the two selected companies in Gauteng Province South Africa. Methodology Structured questions, (open and close ended) were used to obtain information needed for this study. The questions covered demographic as well as information relating to the use of the computer such as the duration of working on computer, the offices/working environment, the appearance and the distance of the screen to the eyes, the working station and visual devices et cetera. Results Participants included 47 (72.3%) females and 17 (26.2%) males and their ages ranged from 20 to 59 years with the mean of 39.5 and the standard deviation of ± 13.1years. Many (80%) of the participants between the ages of 20 to 29 years reported experiencing eye strain. The highest (75%) percentage of slow refocus was reported by the participants that were between the ages of 30 to 39 years. Most males (58.8%) reported experiencing eye strain, slow refocus and headaches associated with computer use. The majority of the females (63.8%) reported experiencing eye strain, while (59.6%) experienced slow refocus and (51.1%) suffered from headaches. A higher percentage of males (23.5%) experienced wrist pain while lower (14.9%) of females experienced wrist pain. No males (0.0%) reported back pain and only a small (8.5%) of females reported back pain. Conclusion Based on the above findings, it is concluded that visual and the systemic symptoms associated with the use of the computer affected most of the workers from the two companies. The factors that may lead to the various symptoms experienced may be ergonomic (environmental) or visual or a combination of these. The environmental factors can be the angle of gaze to the computer screen or the illumination of the working area, while visual factors could be uncorrected refractive error or binocular anomaly. Other factors may include age and working for prolonged time looking at the computer monitor. These factors may then leads to symptoms like eye strain, slow refocus, blurred vision, headaches, dry eyes and systemic symptoms such as neck pain.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 331-363.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

This research is concerned with some aspects of the retrieval of information from database systems by casual, naive computer users. A "casual user" is defined as an individual who only wishes to execute queries perhaps once or twice a month, and a "naive user" is someone who has little or no expertise in operating a computer and, more specifically for the purposes of this study, is not practiced at querying a database. The research initially focuses on a specific group of casual, naive users, namely a group of clinicians, and analyzes their characteristics as they pertain to the retrieval of information from a computer database. The characteristics thus elicited are then used to create the requirements for a database interface that would, potentially, be acceptable to this group. An interface having the desired requirements is then proposed. This interface consists, from a user's perspective, of three basic components. A graphical model gives a picture of the database structure. Windows give the ability to view different areas of the database, physically group together items that come under one logical heading and provide the user with immediate access to the data item names used by the system. Finally, a natural language query language provides a means of entering a query in a syntax (that of ordinary English) which is familiar to the user. The graphical model is a logical abstraction of the database. Unlike other database interfaces, it is not constrained by the model (relational, hierarchical, network) underlying the database management system, with the one caveat that the graphical model should not imply any connections which cannot be supported by the management system. Versions of the interface are implemented on both eight-bit and sixteen-bit microcomputers, and testing is conducted in order to validate the acceptability of the interface and to discover the level of graphical model which the users find most acceptable. The results of this testing are reported and further areas for research suggested.

Is it unavoidable fact that the interface of a program will change when the program is updated. It is a well-known problem that such changes lead to usability issues, even if the new interface in itself is usable. In increasingly digitalized society where using computers and the Internet is no longer a matter of interest, but a necessity to manage everyday life, it is important that older generation is included in the rapid development. Older adults generally suffer from physical, motor and cognitive decline that can create barrier to using computers. Changing interface can be particularly problematic for this age group, and a smooth transition from the old interface to the new one is needed. Fifteen older and five younger computer users were recruited, to study how a drastically modified computer interface influences older adults as computer users. Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 8 was used as testing software for the case study where the participants were asked to conduct a series of tasks to observe the effects of first time experience with the new interface. The attitudes and the emotions towards the new interface, as well as the difficulties encountered during the first time use were studied in the thesis. The result showed the clear difference between the younger and older participants. Older participants generally had a more positive attitude towards the new browser, even though they encountered more difficulties during the test. The younger participants managed to complete the tasks with less assistance, but were skeptical towards the new interface. Despite the differences in the emotional reactions, both groups were reluctant to update to the new interface, which was shown to be particularly problematic for older participants. The result of the study indicates that an interface that undergoes major restructuring is most likely to be problematic for senior computer users. Thus, there is a need for a bridging strategy between the old and the new interface.