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From: ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: A look at GeoClock and 1pass
Message-ID: <1991Apr30.042013.19020@uwasa.fi>
Date: 30 Apr 91 04:20:13 GMT
References: <1991Apr28.162901.1107@uwasa.fi> <1991Apr29.181134.4668@midway.uchicago.edu>
Organization: University of Vaasa
Lines: 40

In article <1991Apr29.181134.4668@midway.uchicago.edu> valley@gsbsun.uchicago.edu (Doug Dougherty) writes:
:
>Yes, but it comes with no documentation.  Both of the .DOC files that
>are in the ZIP contain no user instructions.  The 1PASS.DOC file is just
>a listing of assembler routines.  This looks like another one of those
>programs that was really just an exercise for the author to learn
>assembler; i.e., the main point is that he learned assembler by writing
>this program, not that the program does anything useful.
>
>I'm not bitching, yet.  Its just that I don't quite feel like diving
>into the program with out some kind of user instructions.
:

One of my constant main gripes against many programs is a lousy user
interface and/or a bad or missing documentation.  Especially in
shareware it often surprises me that the program has obviously not
have even been subjected to any kind of "idiot test", that is given
to someone who has never used it before, for getting feedback before
releasing.  Time and time again I have seen programs that are vey
difficult (sometimes next to impossible) to figure out for the first
time, but which are very useful if one does the detective work, and
finds a way to use the program (GeoClock is a prime example of
this). 
   I have a "ten minute rule": If an experienced user is still stuck
after the first ten minutes, the program is badly done however good
it turns out later.  Fortunately the general trend has been slightly
for the better. 

As to 1pass1.zip I fully agree with you about lousy documentation,
but I disgree with the contention that it doesn't do anything
useful.  On the contrary this kind of a program is very useful, and
if one ignores the flaws of 1pass, it is a very wortwhile program
for copying diskettes.  Certainly worth taking a look at, and much
unfulfilled potential in it. 

...................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi
Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous ftp archives 128.214.12.37
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun