Full sun is an area receiving at least 5 hours of direct sunlight; semi-sun receives only a couple of hours of direct sun in the winter; semi-shade receives no direct sun light but receives a substantial amount of indirect light filtered through sheer curtains or trees; and shde recieves no direct sunlight and is somewhat dark during the day regardless which direction the window faces.

How does which direction (i.e., north, east, south, west) that a window faces impact a house plant? Do certain plants need a window that faces a certain direction or do all plants have the same directional preference?

I am in a New York like climate, with little or no direct sun light at any time of day during the almost exclusively overcast days during the winter season, so direct sun light is not an option.

Thanks

semi-sun = West
Plants which need more warmth but a little less light, cacti, succulents, vines like hoyas, variegated or colored aroids, & most orchids

Semi-shade = East
Plants like Philodendron or pothos, and other solid green aroids, orchids which like cooler temps

Shade = North
ferns, moss, lichen

Keep in mind when they say it can tolerate low light, this does not mean that low light is what's best for it, by no means is this a prescription, but maybe a helpful guide. Do keep in mind that light dimishes by 1/2-1/4 for ever foot away from a window. So a plant sitting a few feet from a south facing window may not be getting as much light as one on a windowsill in a north window. The more light you can give your plants though, the happier they will be.

You should learn about your plants from more than just one source, because there is so often quite a bit of disagreement between them. I prefer university-based internet sites but I have a bunch of books, too.

But, quite honestly, if someone made me choose one exposure exclusively for growing houseplants, never allowing me to grow in any other window again, I'd choose East. I'd probably have to eliminate several succulents, and a few flowering houseplants from my repertoire, but most of the plants I've grown and loved over the years do fantastically well placed directly in east windows. (To disagree with Mentha, [just a little] I've found that my Hoya carnosa couldn't be happier, and most variegates and purple-leaved plants do fine. Multi-colored variegates like crotons, and red leaved plants, like Cordylines and Iresines, I do agree, need a stronger exposure.) In the case of some low light plants, a couple of feet away or slightly to the side of the east windows is also quite good.

I've never heard much difference given "partial sun" as opposed to "partial shade"....they are one and the same thing.
"Partial" leaves the question up in the air about how partial is meant by the term.
A rosebush is recommended to be given "full" sun....and that be 8 hours. The best sun for roses comes from the south or western exposures. The plant may though do just as well given 6 hours...if the light is strong.
The "eastern" exposure is referred to as the "cool" sun...the "morning" sun....and plants that do well in "full" often do "almost" as well in east facing sunlight...with the consideration that barriers to its fullness can directly work its effectiveness.

In general, a northern exposure is not a reliable sun..yet some plants, not needing such strong light, can do somewhat well. Most plants that are situated in a northern light do not flower as well, nor do they put out such strong growth as well.

You can always put something in between a source of light and where you wish it to reach. Trees and other plants, overhangs of buildings, fences or gazebos, tables or chairs, anything and everything that might influence how much light is given an area, can decide on what exposure a plant should be given.
Put a rose bush behind a compact canopy of tree, in a western exposure, and the plant may well not flower.

Rhizo,

Were you saying that in Alabama a south-facing window would be considered shade? In other words, the explanation provided by Mentha would be opposite for someone in the southern United States? Thanks.

In Australia and other southern equator places the seasons are also reversed, this time is their summer. They don't all it "The Land Down Under" for nothing.