Subject: Re: GUI
From: [email-masked] (Hans Zuidam)

24 Dec 1996 09:37:49 -0800
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> > Visual C++ is pretty cheap if you want a GUI.   Personally, I don't
> > know why you'd want that - I recently prototyped a project with Visual
> > C++ and then converted it to build under Cygwin32, and breathed a big
> > sigh of relief when I was finally able to type ``make'' instead of
> > having to screw around with the damned GUI (Godawful User Interface).
> 
> Yes. That's great idea. And when you are at it, use 'vi', what a GREAT
> editor. And then, what a GREAT relief of not using the GUI debugger!!!
> For instance, instead of just clicking over the name of something to
> be displayed at the screen, type gdb's commands (how easy isn't it?
> Oh! you forgot it, type help !)
> 
> I think that for people that LIKE typing like you, that is surely heaven!
> That's right. STAY WITH gdb, vi and all that.
It's not that we like typing, it's more that typing is still the
fastest way for us to get our ideas and actions into the bloody
machine.  After 10 odd years using vi I don't think of cryptic vi
commands any more, just as much as you don't think about the shapes
of letters when you write something.  I seem to have some unconcious
process (thread?) in my mind that converts editting actions into
typed commands.  Granted, it's not simple when you start with vi,
but when you stick with it the anoying bits go away by themselves.

One major thing every graphical user-interface designer seems to
forget is that the goal of a user-interface is have people at
different skill levels work quickly and as much error-free with
applications.  Most graphical user-interfaces are only ok for people
at the most elementary skill level.  I doubt if selecting some
``compile'' command from a menu, seeing a dialog popup and then
selecting `OK' to start a compilation is speedier than just typing
`make' at a command line.

Both graphical and command line based user-interfaces have their
strengths and weaknesses based on their target audience.  It's nice
to have them both available such that the user can choose the one
that's most comfortable with his/her mode of work.  The problem
with graphical user-interfaces is that they are far more complicated
to design and implement than anyone really cares to admit.  They
are so complicated that it is hardly possible to experiment with
them before deciding the `right mode of operation.'  With command
line user-interfaces there is at least some common experience on
how to do certain things and how not to do things.  With graphical
user-interfaces this is still very far off.

Merry christmas,
				Hans

-- 
H. Zuidam                        E-Mail: [email-masked]
Brand Innovators B.V.            P-Mail: P.O. Box 1377
de Pinckart 54                   5602 BJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
5674 CC Nuenen                   Tel. +31 40 2631134, Fax. +31 40 2831138
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