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From: kestrel.raveling@unify.UUCP (Paul Raveling)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: Open look vs Motif
Message-ID: <9007031705.AA00978@kestrel.>
Date: 3 Jul 90 17:05:42 GMT
References: <9007031301.AA08567@zephyrus.crd.Ge.Com>
Sender: daemon@athena.mit.edu (Mr Background)
Reply-To: think!ames!Unify.com!OpenLook@eddie.mit.edu
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	[This is cross-posted to xpert (comp.windows.x) & probably
	 belongs in comp.graphics.]

> In article <9158@crdgw1.crd.ge.com> Bill Davidson writes:
> |> From: unify!kestrel.raveling@uunet.uu.net (Paul Raveling)
> 
> |> 	Perhaps part of that is because monochrome displays are going
> |> 	the way of dinosaurs on workstations.
> 
>   Now you're down to pure opinion. While I like color, for many
> applications it just isn't needed, and the high resolution of mono gives
> a crisper display. For technical reasons the cost of any given
> resolution in color is always higher than the same dot pitch in mono,
> and for just text handling mono is fine.

	Checking this out should be an action item for somone who'd like
	to do some legitimate human factors research.  Part of the
	problem is that we haven't learned to use color to full advantage
	yet.

	I agree that color isn't essential for simple text applications,
	but I believe that practically all workstations are used for
	more complex work.  Even many simple applications are becoming
	more graphic.  For example, when I stopped into a Sacramento
	bank to transfer my checking account from L.A., the bank officer
	used a very colorful PC-based windowish application to do
	the job of filling in forms.  I didn't look closely, but
	had an impression that it used color to suggest semantics
	and to guide the user's cognitive focus.

	Another literally graphic example was an article in the
	real estate section of the 1st Sunday paper I received.
	It was written by a realtor who wildly praised their new
	ability to show digitized color photos of their listings
	to clients in the office.  The author predicted that the
	online MLS (multiple listing service) would adopt digitized
	images within a couple years.

	As for resolution, there's definitely a price for good color
	resolution but I'm not aware of a workstation color monitor
	that I'd consider inadequate.  Resolution on the monitors I
	used at ISI was better than that of the PC displays and
	VT-100'ish terminals that I used before then, and was about
	the same as most workstation monochrome displays.


------------------
Paul Raveling
Raveling@unify.com