Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!apple!bionet!agate!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!cod!rupp
From: rupp@cod.NOSC.MIL (William L. Rupp)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Mouse vs. Keyboard control. (was: Re: AppleLink--PE + mouse-ahead)
Message-ID: <1280@cod.NOSC.MIL>
Date: 26 Oct 88 21:26:17 GMT
References: <8810251607.aa27323@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> <915@geowhiz.UUCP>
Reply-To: rupp@cod.nosc.mil.UUCP (William L. Rupp)
Organization: Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego
Lines: 36

Well, may I lodge a counter argument in the mouse vs keyboard debate.  Actually,
I think I have before, but what the heck.  Anyway, I still think the anti-mouse
protests are just that; anti-mouse.  Not, "they're okay sometimes," or "mice
are fine if you are just learning", or similar damnation by faint praise, but
plain, flat-out mouse-phobia.

I have heard all the arguments, and am unimpressed.  Sure, I would like to
add some sort of shell to my Mac or my IIGS that would enable me to do some
of the nice things that UNIX allows, but a full-blown command line interface
is not necessary.  What do you think dialog boxes are for?  They are not
*monolog* boxes; two way communication with the system is understood.

But the point I would like to make, and I realize that it enters the area of
personal preference, is that I cannot see why people are upset about going from the keyboard to a mouse.  On the contrary, I am struck often by my annoyance at
having to go from the mouse to the keyboard!  I simply can't be the only person
in microcomputing who makes typing mistakes when entering characters via
keyboard.  Think of the many times you have had to retype commands because
of typing mistakes.  A single mouse click, even a series of several clicks,
is a lot easier than typing several words consisting of perhaps 10, 12, or even more keystrokes.  No, you cannot dispense with the keyboard.  But even a modest
savings in keystrokes extrapolated over time adds up to a savings in
effort and frustration.  Furthermore, I think there are many functions for 
which the mouse is more appropriate under *any* circumstances.

Looking into the future, we are likely to see direct human/computer interfaces
(Have you read THE PEACE WAR and MAROONED IN REALTIME by Vernor Vinge?).  When
users see that sort of thing, nobody is going to say, "Yes, but why have
they *forced* us to use our minds as input devices; I want a keyboard
interface!"

Or *will* they?

Bill
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As usual, I speak for myself alone.  Generally there is no waiting list
of people wanting to take half the blame.
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