Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!apple!lsr
From: lsr@Apple.COM (Larry Rosenstein)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: De-macification of the Amiga (Re: The Amiga's Future)
Keywords: Future, Amiga, etc.
Message-ID: <14292@goofy.Apple.COM>
Date: 28 Jun 91 00:39:26 GMT
References: <1991Jun20.160550.27873@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> <1991Jun20.231445.1371@milton.u.washington.edu> <1991Jun21.181522.26401@sequent.com>
Organization: Object Based Systems, Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 39

In article <1991Jun21.181522.26401@sequent.com> cseaman@sequent.com writes:
>
>This topic epitomizes my main beef with the Mac 'philosophy'.  Any user
>with a lick of common sense isn't even going to TRY to 'drag-and-drop' a
>file into an application, unless they believe (or at least suspect) that
>the application will know what to do with it.  The 'Mac way', however,
>credits the user with the intelligence of a rock.  It not only condones
>ignorance on the part of the user, it encourages and perpetuates it.

You're right that this is a philosophical decision.  But your wrong as to
the reason for it.

The reason is not because we don't give the user any credit for
intelligence.

The reason is that most users shouldn't have to worry about document types
and what applications can handle what types.  The system should do that.  

There's no point in having a word processor open a graphics document.  At
best it will put up a message saying it can't open the document; at worst it
will display garbage.  

>'Drag and drop in the Finder allows the user to avoid the step of
>launching an application...'  Pshaw.  'Drag-and-drop' in the Finder

Drag and drop allows the user to override the built-in mechanism for
selecting a application to open a given document.  It also opens the way for
small desktop utilities.  In a limited way, it allows 3rd parties to add
capabilities to the Finder.

You make the mistake of thinking that all users have your understanding of
what goes on inside a computer.  There are a lot of highly intelligent
people who happen not to have CS degrees.

-- 
Larry Rosenstein, Apple Computer, Inc.

lsr@apple.com
(or AppleLink: Rosenstein1)