Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac:55145 comp.sys.mac.programmer:15194 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!aplcen!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!srvr1!mondo.engin.umich.edu!billkatt From: billkatt@mondo.engin.umich.edu (billkatt) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.mac.programmer Subject: Re: There *ARE* uses for forcing the mouse to a location (non-games). Message-ID: <1990Jun7.190113.28131@caen.engin.umich.edu> Date: 7 Jun 90 19:01:13 GMT References: <2285@speedy.mcnc.org> <17041@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <2291@speedy.mcnc.org> Sender: news@caen.engin.umich.edu (CAEN Netnews) Reply-To: billkatt@mondo.engin.umich.edu (billkatt) Organization: Computer Aided Engineering Network (CAEN), University of Michigan Lines: 56 In article <2291@speedy.mcnc.org> kk@mcnc.org.UUCP (Krzysztof Kozminski) writes: >Now back to the X-windows: this is where I hope to make a final convincing >argument. I'd like just to mention that "the first system I used is best" >syndrome does not apply here; I am not pushing Xerox Star paradigms, am I ?-) >I've picked the X-windows just because sometimes I have to use them. >Normally I run UW or Telnet from a Mac, so that I can write documents while >watching over the number crunchers outputs in the terminal emulator windows. > >X-window emulators on a Mac are a fact. Allowing the software to move the >pointer all over the screen is a necessity for this particular application. >The size of the X-window market seems to my uneducated in the marketing >matters self a good reason for Apple to provide some kind of consistent >access to these undocumented low-memory globals to the X-developers. >So why should this acces be denied to others? Assuming that the user >knows when to expect a 'pointer warp', there is nothing wrong with it. >The feature should be used with good judgement, and the current guidelines >seem to deny that developers have the ability to make such a judgement. Yes, X-window SERVERS on a Mac are a fact. They don't EMULATE X-windows, ok? I am using Mac X right now, and it doesn't warp my cursor. It has a check box "Enable Mouse Movement Under Client Control", and I keep it disabled. I haven't had ANY compatibility problems yet. BTW, I originally turned it off because I was tired of Motif (specifically MWM) warping my cursor to the OK button. If I want it there I'll put it there. So, it is not a necessity. I'll put an argument forth against respositioning the cursor to the next likely check box. I know, FOR SURE, in every Mac program I use that if I position the cursor over a box and click three times, it will ALWAYS just change the state of that box three times. Say I have four check boxes: +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ A !X! B !X! C ! ! D ! ! +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ If you position the cursor over 'C' and click three times, what will the state be? I know on my Mac it will be A-On, B-On, C-On, D-Off. What will it be on that guys machine? He doesn't know unless he tries it and then remembers it. It is a matter of intuition, it is important that the user know what is going to happen every time they do something BEFORE they do it. The Mac provides that. The mouse pointer belongs to the user. It should never be moved by the program. If programs start moving it, they user no longer feels they have control over what happens. You should move your windows under the cursor, since the windows belong to the program. ============================================================================= Steve Bollinger ____/| 909 Church St. Apt C \ o.O| Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104 =(_)= (313)-662-4073 -home (313)-763-3070 -work U billkatt@mondo.engin.umich.edu -ACK ACK ACK ACK! "thhhhppppttt!"