Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!know!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!vsi1!hsv3!jls From: jls@hsv3.UUCP (James Seidman) Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms Subject: Re: Windows 3 criticism Message-ID: <4991@hsv3.UUCP> Date: 26 Sep 90 16:25:36 GMT References: Reply-To: jls@headland.UUCP (James Seidman) Organization: Video Seven / Headland Technology Lines: 46 In article gerry@frc2.frc.ri.cmu.edu (Gerry Roston) writes: >This is never the case and never will be the case when you compare a >toy operating environment (Windows 3, Mac, NeXT) to a command line >oriented interface (DOS, UNIX). Now, don't get me wrong, DOS sucks >rocks and is horribly broken, but the ability to do things at the C:> >far exceeds any point and click ability. I'll point out that lots of people just run lots of DOS windows, using the command line for stuff where it's more convenient. I've actually discovered that point-and-click is more useful for some things, and having both techniques of operating simultaneously does enhance my productivity. >And the reason is quite simply this. The folks who design the point >and click have some operating paradigm in mind when they write there >environment. If you wish to do anything they didn't think of, you're >SOL. Futhermore, these point and click environments are geared >towards novices, so that nayone canuse a computer. This tends to >force everyone to a level of mediocrtiy as opposed to leting truly >knowledgable individuals soar to heights of excellence. I'm not sure if you're talking about applications or system software here. If you're talking about apps, then this argument could be made for any program which has a user interface. (Actually, even DOS: tell me how it is that, using ONLY DOS commands, I easily delete a whole set of nested subdirectories.) If you're talking about system software, this is why people are working on alternate interfaces for Windows. PubTech, Aporia, Command Post, etc. are all designed to make it easier to do things than it is with ProgMan. And many of them give you things which Microsoft didn't think off. Besided, if you *really* need something which isn't provided for, just learn Windows programming and write your own interface. :) >The only thing that Windows has to offer the DOS world is >multitasking. Now, if only DOS with wither away and die, to be >replaced by UNIX, then the world would be a much better place. The problem with this argument is that there would be some significant risk that DOS would be replaced by, not UNIX, but OS/2. Also, I'll point out that the big trend in UNIX systems is also towards graphical interfaces. I'm working in SunView right now, in fact. I could be using the character- based TTY right next to me, but I'm not. Would you? -- Jim Seidman (Drax), the accidental engineer. UUCP: ames!vsi1!headland!jls ARPA: jls%headland.UUCP@ames.nasa.arc.gov