Xref: utzoo alt.hypertext:831 comp.cog-eng:1936 comp.graphics:17109 comp.multimedia:303 comp.software-eng:5285 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!uunet!cimshop!davidm From: cimshop!davidm@uunet.UU.NET (David S. Masterson) Newsgroups: alt.hypertext,comp.cog-eng,comp.graphics,comp.multimedia,comp.software-eng Subject: Re: Images vs. Text Message-ID: Date: 8 Apr 91 05:43:40 GMT References: <1991Apr2.180348.19733@smsc.sony.com> <1991Apr02.235121.17834@convex.com> <1991Apr5.032157.10421@ecf.utoronto.ca> Sender: davidm@cimshop.UUCP Distribution: alt Organization: Consilium Inc., Mountain View, California Lines: 26 In-reply-to: jpenny@ms.uky.edu's message of 5 Apr 91 21:26:04 GMT >>>>> On 5 Apr 91 21:26:04 GMT, jpenny@ms.uky.edu (Jim Penny) said: Jim> In any event, this is a detour from the original writer who claimed Jim> that people could invariably process pictures faster than text: Jim> 2) If pictures are inherently superior, consider the following series Jim> of questions: Jim> a) I will select at random a word from the dictionary: Jim> you may draw as many pictures as you would like, but no letters, Jim> to convey that word to a third party. Will this be easy? Jim> b) I will select at random a word from the dictionary; Jim> you may draw as many letters as you want to convey the word to Jim> a third party. Will this be easy? Probably an unfair test as its heavily weighted in favor of text. Let's even it up a little. Suppose you were trying to convey the word to 100 people, all of whom spoke/wrote a different language, and you had to convey the meaning to >80% of the people. Now would (a) or (b) be easier?? -- ==================================================================== David Masterson Consilium, Inc. (415) 691-6311 640 Clyde Ct. uunet!cimshop!davidm Mtn. View, CA 94043 ==================================================================== "If someone thinks they know what I said, then I didn't say it!"