Toolbars are pre-established lists of command buttons that allow users to control programming features without searching through a list of commands. They are a type of graphical user interface found in nearly every device that uses a computer. Some toolbars can be spyware programs, but others help users search the web or offer links to frequently visited websites. Toolbars can compromise usable screen space and be difficult to remove, but they can also be locked to prevent unnecessary add-ons.
A toolbar is a pre-established list of command “buttons” for a computer program. These buttons, and the toolbar itself, are usually shortcuts that allow the user to control programming features without searching through a list of commands. Computer operating systems also include toolbars, usually at the top or bottom of the screen. Some toolbars are designed so that users can reposition them on the screen for greater efficiency or hide them altogether.
The toolbar is a type of programming feature called a graphical user interface, sometimes called a GUI or widget. While these terms may be known mostly to computer specialists and programming enthusiasts, GUIs are widely used around the world. They are a form of user-friendly interfaces that allow computer users to manipulate device functions without knowing the programming language or protocols. GUIs of one kind or another are found in nearly every device that uses a computer, including personal media players, cars, televisions, thermostats, and telephones.
Toolbars have a variety of designs and functions. An operating system toolbar will usually be present whenever the computer is active. Graphics programs can have several toolbars, some of which are always visible and others which appear only when certain functions are activated. Web browsing programs will have their own toolbars, separate from the operating system, and individual websites will often add another toolbar while the user is browsing the site. Usable screen space can actually be compromised by too many toolbars.
Another disadvantage is that some websites or companies add toolbars to a computer without user consent or by convincing the user that there is any benefit to adding the feature. Some of these toolbars may be spyware programs that track a user’s web activity for marketing purposes. These toolbars can be difficult for inexperienced computer users to remove. Operating systems and web browsers provide the ability to lock toolbars to prevent such unnecessary add-ons.
Not all of these additional toolbars have sinister intent. Some help you search the web or offer links to frequently visited websites. “Bookmarked” or “Favorites” toolbars are examples of this type of GUI. Most major search engines also offer toolbars to prevent web users from navigating to their search page. The increase in computer screen size means that many users can add these extra toolbars without wasting screen space. Modern phones and portable devices also have these toolbars, despite their smaller screens. One could say that the entire interface on some of these advanced handheld devices is nothing more than a high-functioning toolbar.
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