Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bryan
From: bryan@cs.utexas.edu (Bryan Bayerdorffer @ Wit's End)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: random thoughts on iconification
Message-ID: <380@mohawk.cs.utexas.edu>
Date: 30 Jun 91 01:14:27 GMT
References: <37090018@hpfcdc.HP.COM> <379@mohawk.cs.utexas.edu> <1991Jun29.192118.19947@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu>
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In article <1991Jun29.192118.19947@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> rjc@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Ray Cromwell) writes:
=-
=-  Another problem with some of these programs is that they cause problems
=-with certain applictions. PopUpMenu GURU's the hell out of my system.
=-Even if I boot clean, load VLT, and use PopUpMenu I get GURU's galore.

Of course programs tha cause problems should be avoided, but one has to be
careful in placing blame.  Just because a PD utility interacts badly with some
commercial application, for instance, doesn't mean the utility is at fault.
Many applications are poorly written and break all kinds of rules.  Sadly, there
are many commercial programmers out there whose knowledge of the Amiga and its
requirements is minimal compared to the better 'hobbyist' programmers, because
they must work with many types of machines. 

I've had NO bad interactions between PopUpMenu and any other programs, including
VLT, so I'm surprised to hear about these GURUs.

=-favorite utility. If C= shipped WShell, Sksh/CShell users would scream
=-and vice-versa. If Commodore shipped DeluxePaint with the OS, Digipaint
=-users would be mad. I tink the best solution is to give the user

You can't please all of the people all of the time.  Does this mean you should
please none of the people none of the time?  That's the IBM philosophy. :-)

=-coupons for free software and let him buy what he likes.
=-

This is a good alternative to bundled commercial software, but how does this get
the novice user the free tools and utilities that might make his life easier,
but of which he's never even heard?  The vast majority of Amiga owners know
nothing about Fish disks or Usenet archives when they first buy the machine, and
almost all of them never get to see or try all the stuff that we do, because it
costs them real money and a lot of time to download PD hacks or copy disks.

My point is simply that there's a lot of stuff currently on the Amiga
distribution disks whose usefulness is doubtful at best.  It doesn't take that
much head scratching to replace it with something better.