Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Invader
From: Invader@cup.portal.com (Michael K Donegan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Need an LDEF that breaks the 32K barrier
Message-ID: <42087@cup.portal.com>
Date: 7 May 91 15:17:56 GMT
References: <1CE00001.edjyz6@tbomb.ice.com>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 26

Does anyone ever think of the user?  What kind of a silly user interface
do you present if you put more than a very small number of items in a
listbox.  A list that must be scrolled is ridiculous unless 1) you don't
need to use it very often 2) you are intimately familiar with its
contents so that you can use keystrokes to get you in the vicinity of
your search.

I am particularly sensitive to this because if have been working on a
program with over 200 source files.  I have gotten really sick of using
the Open Dialog to find the one I'm looking for and use the Finder
instead.  At least the finder lets you organize the files anyway you
want and uses color cues (maybe the colors should be reflected in the
open file dialog?)

Also, there should be a user preferences for the speed of typing at a
listbox.  I'm a pretty fast typist, but I often wish that I could
type at a listbox with one hand and still have it work.  You have to
use both hands to be able to type fast enough if the files
are not unique until the third character (as ours are.)

Anyway, find a better user interface rather than burden the list manager.
Just because it is easy to program doesn't mean you should use it for 
everything.

	One man's opinion,
		mkd