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From: gus@Shasta.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Friendly user interface?  What friendly user interface?
Message-ID: <475@Shasta.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 30-Apr-86 13:08:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: Shasta.475
Posted: Wed Apr 30 13:08:56 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 3-May-86 21:08:48 EDT
References: <921@watdragon.UUCP> <3262@sdcc3.UUCP>
Organization: Stanford University
Lines: 44

> In article <921@watdragon.UUCP> jmsellens@watdragon.UUCP (John M Sellens) writes:
>
> I have recently heard that most of the option tricks for Finder 5.x *ARE*
> documented in the Mac+ manual.  [courtesy Greg Robbins]  Hooray!  Finally, 
> information beyond the tech notes for most people.
> 
> On a more general note: option shortcuts are, in my opinion, one of the best
> ways to provide a fast method for doing things.  According the the interface
> guidelines they should be documented somewhere, though.  My best example of
> this is MacPaint: it has some wonderful option-shortcuts that I use ALL the
> time.  They are nicely documented under a menu choice of Shortcuts.  
> 
> This provides a path for more advanced users to shorten the time/effort to
> accomplish certain tasks.  For this reason, I think they are wonderful if
> done correctly.  Simply put: option shortcuts should be just that: SHORTCUTS.
> If an option whiz-bang has an ability to do something that a normal menu/
> pallette choice doesn't, then it shouldn't be there.  Rather, it SHOULD have a 
> menu choice.

A-MEN! You  missed one point, though. Many of MacPaint's "shortcuts" are not
shortcuts at all but <<constrainers>> which limit the object that you draw
in a particular way such as making ovals perfect circles. Mome of these have
short cuts, some (like the grid mode) do not. There is some inconsistency
here. Also, there are a few MacPaint goodies which even escaped the hints
window.
> 
> Beyond all that, I think they provide great information-swapping material!  I
> always love discovering 'hidden routes' that the programmer left open...
> 

You seem to be contracticting yourself here. "Discovering" new undocumented
tricks and shift-command-splot-swat-sequences used to be fun, but not
anymore. The ones I REALLY hate are the tiny indicators like the finder HFS
pixel which you would never notice unless you are specifically looking gor
it. Come on folks. This is important information and should not be hidden
so crudely!

> -Chris
> -- 
> Chris Borton, UC San Diego Undergraduate CS; Micro Consultant, UCSD
> borton@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU || ...!{ucbvax,decvax,noscvax,ihnp4,bang}!sdcsvax!borton
> "Was soll ich darauf sagen?"  "Nichts--das ist verboten!"

						Gus Fernandez