Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!actrix!Bruce.Hoult From: Bruce.Hoult@bbs.actrix.gen.nz Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Re: Sun's Competitive Strategy (Was: Re: P1754 Message-ID: <1990Dec7.160356.3775@actrix.gen.nz> Date: 7 Dec 90 16:03:56 GMT References: <76095@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> Sender: Bruce.Hoult@actrix.gen.nz (Bruce Hoult) Organization: Actrix Information Exchange, Wellington, New Zealand Lines: 44 Comment-To: davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.com In article <3005@crdos1.crd.ge.COM> davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.COM (Wm E Davidsen Jr) writes: > The Mac is an example os "central planning," while X-windows is an >example of "free market" design. On the Mac all applications look the >same, and having learned one you have a start on learning others. > > The Mac approach presnts a consistant interface, with reduced user >training. Unfortunately, if the user doesn't *like* that single >unchangable interface, s/he is just out of luck. The idea is that the >designers know best what's good for the user, and the user should adapt >or die. There seems to be a common misconception that Apple has somehow built the Mac in such a way that you *have* to use their interface. This is totally incorrect. Apple provide a set of tools for building elements of an interface, but: a) it takes a h*ll of a lot of user code to take the toolbox and produce a "standard" Mac interface. b) the programmer is free to totally or partially ignore what has been provided and do things herself. c) the user can change a lot of element of the interface by substituting different versions of the standard code for drawing menus, windows, buttons etc etc. There exist sets of such code that can be installed to give the Mac a new, but still consistant feel -- for example there are several such sets of code designed to make the Mac mimic the NeXT user interface (Black Box, for example). The only way that Apple force you to follow their interface is by gentle (and not-so-gentle) persuasion, and by making the desired interface the path of least resistance (note especilly the MacApp effort to make a standard interface easier to provide). >Mac because it lacks a command interface The Mac doesn't have a command interface supplied with it in the box, but there are CLI's available for it. MPW is the obvious example. -- Bruce.Hoult@bbs.actrix.gen.nz Twisted pair: +64 4 772 116 BIX: brucehoult Last Resort: PO Box 4145 Wellington, NZ