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From: hadgraft@civeng.monash.edu.au (Roger Hadgraft)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: BASIC QUESTION ABOUT WINDOWS
Message-ID: <12129@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au>
Date: 6 Dec 89 22:07:40 GMT
References: <213400073@s.csd?ouc.edu> <413@vlsi.ll.mit.edu>
Sender: cie590l@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au (Hadgraft)
Organization: Civil Engineering, Monash University, Australia
Lines: 27

>
> A few weeks ago I asked that even MORE basic question, since I had
> tried it and concluded that it was slick but was badly in need of a
> problem for which it was a solution.  The response was underwhelming -
> NOBODY defended it, and the only people who responded agreed with me
> that unless you secretly wished you had bought a Mac, Windows was
> nearly worthless.

To see the benefits of Windows (and the Macintosh, and all the other GUIs), you
have to forsake your PC mentality. Under DOS we have unrestrained freedom for
developers, and unrestrained torment for users trying to learn a plethora of
different user interfaces for packages that won't talk to each other.
The advantages of Windows are:

1. standard user interface
2. inter-program communication via Clipboard and DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange)
3. multi-tasking (of a kind)

However, you won't get these advantages while you want to use it merely as a
task switcher. You WILL get these advantages as you steadily junk all your DOS
applications, and instead use the excellent Windows applications that are now
available. But if you can't wean yourself off Sidekick, don't use Windows!
--
Roger Hadgraft                  |  hadgraft@civeng.monash.edu.au
Lecturer in Civil Engineering   |  phone:  +61 3 565 4983
Monash University               |  fax:    +61 3 565 3409
Clayton, Vic. 3168. Australia.  |