Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!lll-winken!aunro!alberta!ubc-cs!uw-beaver!rice!uupsi!ficc!peter From: peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) Newsgroups: comp.archives.admin Subject: Re: building an interstate (data) highway with no roadmaps Message-ID: <_D2C8Z5@xds13.ferranti.com> Date: 21 Jun 91 19:15:52 GMT References: <9106171612.AA01441@mazatzal.merit.edu> < > <2013@uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au> Reply-To: peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) Organization: Xenix Support, FICC Lines: 28 In article <2013@uqcspe.cs.uq.oz.au> rhys@cs.uq.oz.au writes: > If I go into a library and walk up to the shelf marked "Mathematical Logic" > (marked in Dewey Decimal or whatever), then the books I find there will > be about the various aspects of "Mathematical Logic" and just that. Most will. Many will have digressions into other aspects of mathematics, logic, Zen, etcetera... > However, if I walk into a computer store and walk up to the shelf marked > "Spreadsheets" I'll also find programs that double up as wordprocessors, > databases, desktop publishers, comms programs, ... in addition to being > a spreadsheet. Yes, but they are basically spreadsheets. All these "integrated programs" have a central model that describes their behaviour, and a bunch of extra tools that are stuck on the side. They're also a dying fad. The only point to things like Lotus is to make up for limitations in MS-DOS (single tasking, no IPC, etc). Better operating environments will replace the swiss-army-knife program. > Maybe it's time we retrained programmers to write programs to perform > a single task, not control the world! :-) Start by boycotting MS-DOS. -- Peter da Silva; Ferranti International Controls Corporation; +1 713 274 5180; Sugar Land, TX 77487-5012; `-_-' "Have you hugged your wolf, today?"