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From: sec@cs.umn.edu (Stephen E. Collins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: There *ARE* uses for forcing the mouse to a location (non-games).
Message-ID: <1990Jun7.185331.26099@cs.umn.edu>
Date: 7 Jun 90 18:53:31 GMT
References: <1990Jun5.091419.14219@portia.Stanford.EDU> <16995@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <2285@speedy.mcnc.org> <17041@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Organization: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, CSci dept.
Lines: 38

bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig) writes:

[stuff]

>Or hit Return for the OK button, Command-Period for the Cancel button,
>and other command-things for other buttons (such as Cmd-S for "Save").

[more stuff]

>The point here is that the Mac interface is designed to be as natural
>as possible.  The pointer is your hand.  When you're working at your
>desk and you need to grab a pencil instead of the pen you're using, do
>you teleport your hand over to the pencil-box to get one?  No -- you
>put the pencilbox as close to your work area as you can.

But your hand is limited by the laws of physics.  There are things you
can do on a computer that make it easier than simply trying to immitate
real life.  I'd hope we're trying to use the computer to advance beyond
the limitations of standard procedure.  If my computer functions exactly
like my real desk, paper, and pencil, why should I use a computer?

[even more stuff]

>The Macintosh has gained a lot of its success because it finds
>innovative, intuitive ways to simply do things that are complicated to
>do on other machines.  If you start doing esoteric things with menus,
>windows, and especially the pointer, novice users will become confused
>and leave.

If I follow your logic correctly, you're saying that something such as
holding down option-command while restarting the mac; or shift-control
while bringing up the control panel is "innovative and intuitive".  However,
something such as moving the pointer to a dialog that requires a mouse-click
before the user can proceed is "esoteric and confusing".

Stephen E. Collins
University of Minnesota Microcomputer & Workstation Networks Center
sec@boombox.micro.umn.edu