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From: MADSON@SRI-KL.arpa
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: ST, Verrrrry Close...
Message-ID: <2130@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 11-Jul-86 13:54:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.2130
Posted: Fri Jul 11 13:54:07 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Jul-86 23:18:47 EDT
Sender: news@brl-smoke.ARPA
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I agree that the ST provides great performance for the buck.  However, the GEM
user interface leaves a lot to be desired.  A small example:  upon exiting a 
file, a box appears with a STOP sign and words to the effect: "...If you wish 
to save your work, please Cancel now and do so.", followed by two 'buttons':
"OK" and "CANCEL".  The agreeable user clicks "OK" and returns to the 'desktop'
without saving.
  Granted, this probably only has to happen once.  Even so, such a weak inter-
face limits the machine's usefulness for many users.  The Amiga is yet another
symptom of the hardware-driven mentality that says "the most clever or powerful
design is guaranteed to sell"--it has yet to pay off for the Amiga.  This notion
that a 1 MIPS, 1K x 1K display (etc.) computer will take the world by storm by
virtue of its design grows weaker each day (as the market niche for such ma-
chines becomes less well-defined).  Hackers will probably buy in, but it's the
larger-market potential that gets the sales people excited.  The only way we
can keep from drowning in PC 8088/8008/4004/Selectric 'technology' is to show 
users directly what the machine's power does for them.  Lousy code and user
interfaces work against that.

					--carl madson
					
P.S. -- I realize that, as usual, there's a lot more between Henry's words than
meets this observer's eyes.  Fire at will...  (George)

Disclaimer:  I'm in no way connected with pro- or anti-ST factions, although I
have a Mac and I bought my dad an ST.  If he ends up trashing files, that's his
problem.
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