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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!zben
From: zben@umcp-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Another perspective on menus
Message-ID: <2393@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 3-Sep-83 18:06:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.2393
Posted: Sat Sep  3 18:06:15 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 5-Sep-83 04:13:58 EDT
Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 13


 First, a quick question on terminology.  What distinguishes a 'pop-up'
menu from any other type?  Is it one you have to ask for with a ? mark?
 My perspective is one of an experienced (>12 years on Univac 1100 systems)
systems programmer trying to deal with VM/CMS (an IBM OS) and two flavors
of Unix on two different machines (BSD Vax and Vanilla on a small PDP11).
If I didn't have the menus that are available with ? I would be dead!
 I held my nose and put online help (of the HELP <command> variety)
into several of the programs I maintain on the Univac and to my chagrin
find myself using it instead of trying to find the latest copy of the 
manual in my archaeologically-organized office.
 I vote for menus that are not obtrusive (if that is possible).
Ben Cranston (..UMCP-CS!ZBEN or ZBEN@UMD2.ARPA)