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From: bbanerje@sjuvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Re: expert-friendly: are long names a waste of time?
Message-ID: <179@sjuvax.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 4-Dec-83 21:25:08 EST
Article-I.D.: sjuvax.179
Posted: Sun Dec  4 21:25:08 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 6-Dec-83 22:54:23 EST
References: <1490@utcsstat.UUCP> <53@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Organization: Saint Josephs U. Philadelphia, PA
Lines: 26

I'll keep this short.

a)  Menu systems would be preferable only in a situation where
  1) The menus came up VERY quickly.
  2) Are easily assimiliable.
  3) Individual items can be easily selected. ( Never having used
     a mouse, I don't know how easy it is to point with one).
  4) Its possible to escape from the menu hierarchy easily.

b)  Due to the tremendous resources tied up in hardware that won't
  support these wonderful overlapping windows, etc.  We have to 
  make the most of the glass teletype environment.  In this context
  short command names make life far easier.

Perhaps the UNIX community doesn't know how good it has it.  I've
just been using UNIX for about 2 months, and am quite delighted by
the consistency, ease of use, and indeed the elegance of the command,
file structure.  Next time you feel like complaining about something
as minor as an abbreviated command, try UNIVAC 1100 Exec-8 or a 
UNIVAC 90 running VS-9.  Tends to make one count their blessings.

-- 


				Binayak Banerjee
			{astrovax | bpa | burdvax}!sjuvax!bbanerje