Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!oliveb!olivej!tonyb
From: tonyb@olivej.olivetti.com (Anthony M. Brich)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Windows programming.  Was Re: Windows programming in C
Message-ID: <61705@oliveb.atc.olivetti.com>
Date: 3 Jul 90 21:07:04 GMT
References: <4b4be14f.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> <1990Jun30.000706.3548@world.std.com>
Sender: news@oliveb.atc.olivetti.com
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Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino, CA
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In article <1990Jun30.000706.3548@world.std.com> goodearl@world.std.com (Robert D Goodearl) writes:
>.... I have become increasingly frustrated, in the month since
>the release of windows, as this news group seems to degenerate into a 
>complaint line.  Instead, I'd like to see this newsgroup share ideas on
>how to make more effective use of Windows, and how to make it more powerful.
>Some of that is happening already -- lets expand on that.

	Hear, hear! (Or "read, read!", as the case may be ...)
	Thank you for so succinctly critiquing the quality of the
	debate in this newsgroup.  I am a very new reader of this
        group, an enthusiastic end-user  (some  in  this  group  would
        probably think "dilettante", my technical knowledge of Windows
        being virtually non-existent), and I had hoped  to  find  more
        information  about  working  WITH  Windows, as opposed to too-
        lengthy debates about its virtues/weaknesses  vis-a-vis  other
        GUI  environments.   For  those  knowledgeable  in  other  GUI
        environments, like the fellow  who  recently  posted  a  mouse
        wish-list,  it  would  be  more  helpful  to  understand  what
        functionality can be added to future Windows.

        If the intent of the malcontents is to get me to switch, I am
	not persuaded.  (If  I  were switching  from  Windows,
        I  wouldn't be reading this newsgroup!)  And I cannot advise my
        client  to  move  from  a  relatively   successful   GUI
        implementation which runs quite well on 386-based systems,
	since Windows in fact addresses most of the needs of my
	client:  it runs more or less well on 386-based PCs,
	accomodates most of the client's installed software, provides
        GUI to people who really need it, etc.  To switch to DesqView
	or XWindows or any other Windowsing environment would require
	enormous reconfiguration, analysis, headaches, etc.  Windows
	fits right in.
	
        The Windows commentary in this newsgroup  as  in  other  media
        (like  a  recent San Jose Mercury News business section piece)
        describes  Windows  3.0  as  deficient  because   it   requires
        substantial,  but nowadays common, hardware and memory, as if it
        is to be faulted because it cannot  deliver  beautiful  color,
        multi-tasking,  and  386  speed to 8086 and 8088 PCs --- and
	do all that cheaply!  Sheesh.

        Similarly, the debate in this newsgroup suggests that  Windows
        should  transcend  its  DOS  foundation, that Microsoft should
        transcend capitalist principle, that sophisticated programming
        tools  should  be  cheap  and easy to use .... sounds a little
        dreamy to me!  I mean, I want those  things  too,  but  pretty
        much  figure  that  I'll  have  to  be  part of the process of
        getting there, not just the lucky recipient.

	Oh, sorry this got so long winded.  It really was intended
	only as a thankyou.

	Regards to all,
	Tony Brich.