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From: uucibg@sw1e.UUCP (3929] Brian Gilstrap)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.misc,comp.sys.next,comp.sys.mac,comp.cog-eng,comp.sys.amiga,comp.editors
Subject: Re: replacing the desktop metaphor (Why any metaphor?)
Keywords: desktop metaphor, graphical interfaces, computing environments
Message-ID: <1173@sw1e.UUCP>
Date: 11 Jan 89 13:22:34 GMT
References: <390@skep2.ATT.COM> <77@poppy.warwick.ac.uk>
Reply-To: uucibg@sw1e.UUCP ([5-3929] Brian Gilstrap)
Followup-To: comp.misc
Organization: Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.
Lines: 46

In article <77@poppy.warwick.ac.uk> maujt@warwick.ac.uk (Richard J Cox) writes:
>
>I'm different: I'm a Mac hater, I'm not a touch typest, and I don't mind
>moving my fingers off the keyboard.
>The reason I hate the Mac is its user interface - it forces you to conform
>too much, ie it is not customisable enough. When I use UNIX I use tcsh
>(csh+command line editing via emacs style CTRL chars) with >40 aliases,
>highly customised emacs etc....
>

Hmmm....I certainly won't argue that the standard Finder-style interface does
not provide customization.  I also won't argue that customization can be nice
(being a unix programmer, I strongly agree).  However, the Mac has many options
for customization, including several general macro packages such as QuicKeys,
Tempo II, and Apple's MacroMaker.  Many of these packages let you make your
macros apply to all programs or just a particular program.  Also, many of
programs out now allow you to create macros within the scope of the program.
You might want to take a second look at the Mac, if customization is your real
complaint.

Of course, the die-hard Mac-ites (I'm not one) might argue the appropriateness
of using such macros.  Personally, I think extensibility is the key to a long
software product lifetime, so in that sense I agree with you.  However, I own
a MacII and I'm generaly quite happy with the applications, so in that sense
I guess I have to disagree with you.

By the way, this seems to have digressed, so I've directed follow-ups to
comp.misc for lack of a better choice ( the ppl in comp.sys.mac[.programmer]
have already "got the religion" so we'd get into ego-bashing if we moved
there :-)

Disclaimer: I'm not affliated with Apple or any company that creates or markets
Macintosh software.  I am a generally satisfied customer, though I'll be more
satisfied when I've got Unix on my machine. :-)

>- RC
>
>/*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
>JANET:  maujt@uk.ac.warwick.cu     BITNET:  maujt%uk.ac.warwick.cu@UKACRL
>ARPA:   maujt@cu.warwick.ac.uk	   UUCP:    maujt%cu.warwick.ac.uk@ukc.uucp
>Richard Cox, 84 St. Georges Rd, Coventry, CV1 2DL; UK PHONE: (0203) 520995

Brian R. Gilstrap
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