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From: steve@violet.berkeley.edu (Steve Goldfield)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Squeaky Mice was Re: MacWrite II's spell checker
Message-ID: <23969@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 3 May 89 16:34:31 GMT
References: <23910@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> <10010@claris.com>
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In article <10010@claris.com> krazy@claris.com (Jeff Erickson) writes:
#>KEY:
#>~~~
#>| Steve Goldfield <steve@violet.berkeley.edu>
#>|| Jeff Erickson <krazy@claris.com>
#>||| Alastair Milne <milne@ics.uci.edu>
#>|||| Steve Goldfield (again)

I agree that this discussion has become far too long, and I've
said what I have to say. I just wanted to respond to one or two
points.

#>Here I disagree.  My personal opinion is that if it were possible, every-
#>thing should be doable either from the mouse or the keyboard.  The problem
#>is not that the mouse is overused, but the the keyboard is underused, IMHO.

Of course, I agree with the above. If I'm given another option,
it doesn't bother me that a mouse can be used to perform the same
task.

#>| The key point the respondents have missed is that there are
#>| usually ways to do what my CP/M spell checker did. But whereas
#>| it performed these acts quickly, usually by typing a single
#>| character, all the Mac programs I've used require a sequence
#>| of several operations, either with control-character or mouse
#>| clicks or both. The fact that a task can be accomplished isn't
#>| saying much if the user has to do three or four times as many
#>| operations to get it done.
#>
#>But it isn't three or four times as many operations.  You just click once
#>in the right place.
#>
#>You, or someone else, is going to point out that "click once in the right
#>place" involves (1) taking your hands off the keyboard (2) putting it on
#>the mouse (3) positinoing the mouse (4) clicking the mouse button (5) taking
#>your hands off the mouse (6) scratching your nose and (7) putting your
#>hands back on the keyboard.  I never notice the steps.  You never notice the
#>steps involved in locating the "e" key on your keyboard, either.  It's
#>instinct for you.  In exactly the same way, the mouse is instinct for me.
#>Admittedly, I had to learn the instinct, just like I had to learn the
#>instinct required to type quickly.

#>| In word processors, I spend too much time dragging to get
#>| just the text I need. I'd prefer to have an option of
#>| defining a text block with commands rather than the mouse.
#>| Sometimes I have to click the mouse three or four times
#>| to get it exactly where I want it to be, for instance for
#>| an insertion point. I'd like to have an option to go into
#>| a command mode where something like vi commands worked.
#>
#>Practice.  I hate having to retype the same word five times because I
#>keep hitting the wrong keys, but the more I type, the less that happens.

I admit that I've only been using a Mac II as my main work tool
for a year and a half. But I find it just as difficult to get
most Mac programs I use to place the cursor where I want it as
I did the day I started. (I don't think it's me; I type 100 wpm
and play a stringed instrument, so I must be reasonable good
with the motor responses in my fingers.) Whereas in vi (I still
use UNIX a lot), the cursor goes exactly where I tell it to,
with the mouse, I have to click and click until it lodges in
the right spot. How long can I expect it to take until I have
enough practice to get it to work consistently on the first
try? (One problem is that sometimes the software appears to
be guessing what I want to do, and it guesses wrong more often
than not--I'm speaking of dragging here as much as clicking.)
It could also be that some of the features I want
are in place but not as visible as the mouse. I'll look into
it.

Steve Goldfield