Subject: My previous flame

From: [email-masked] (Mike O'Dell)
Date: Sat, 16 May 87 04:19:12 EDT

Date: Sat, 16 May 87 00:08:59 EDT
From: [email-masked] (Mike O'Dell)
Subject: My previous flame

Folks,
I wanted to point out that my previous message, which
could easily be construed as "X-bashing," was meant
rather tongue-in-cheek.  I don't hate X; it has some
interesting things in it and it deserves analysis
and understanding, but I *do* have problems with
its interface, and am still confounded as to why
things meant to make the world simpler usually
make it more complex.  For example:

I have never read a Macintosh program documentation
with the intent of understanding how to make the program work.
It is quite obvious given the user interface.  I do read the
manuals to understand the model the program uses to represent
the task it performs.  Sort of like knowing how to drive, but
not necessarily knowing where you want to go.  But the mechanics
of driving are automatic.

I have seen no UNIX window systems as well constructed, and
frankly, X is one of the worst offenders, but SUNView doesn't
win any big awards either.  I am just getting into News and
like what I see (but still think the mouse has too many buttons),
but remain skeptical.

The world is busy sorting itself out, like it usually does,
but I do wish the people busily doing the sorting would keep
in mind the purpose of user interfaces - to aid understanding,
not to entertain or challenge the memory to remember which
left-hand-chord with which right-hand-mouse-button lets me
simply drag the window.  Sheesh.

Remember Einstein's admonition:
	Things should be as simple as possible, but no simpler!

I think there is little danger in our having oversimplified things.

	-Mike O'Dell

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From: [email-masked] (Ken Yap)
Date: Sat, 16 May 87 17:58:22 EDT

Date: 16 May 87 16:08:47 GMT
From: [email-masked]  (Ken Yap)
Subject: Re: My previous flame
To: [email-masked]

Mike, I think you have just given a good argument for tailorable
interfaces. Perhaps one day we will see windowing systems that allow
you to bind your favourite mousing method to a function - i.e.
chording, double clicking, shift+click, etc.

	Ken