Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!gistdev!joe From: joe@gistdev.gist.com (Joe Brownlee) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Text files on the Mac. (longish, but I'm getting sick of this.) Message-ID: <875@gistdev.gist.com> Date: 12 Jan 90 16:23:45 GMT References: <1998@eric.mpr.ca> <115@lad.scs.com> <1221@mountn.dec.com> <2983@pur-phy> Distribution: na Organization: Global Information Systems Technology Inc., Savoy, IL Lines: 71 In article <2983@pur-phy> sho@maxwell.physics.purdue.edu.UUCP (Sho Kuwamoto) writes: >[Re: a pager application for the Mac] >What good would it be? If it were an application, it would be just as >easy to launch real application. [...] TeachText is free, and it comes >with every mac system. [...] My sentiments exactly. >I personally don't see the need for a pager, but it could be useful if >it were very well integrated into the Finder. For example: > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >a) Add a new item, "Preview File" under the file menu. This would be > used to display standard file types, such as TEXT, PICT, [...] > >b) Modify the Finder so that instead of saying, "...the application is > busy or missing," it would say, "The creator of the TEXT file > could not be opened. Open with MacWrite II?" There would > also be a cdev that would let you pick the default application for > any file type. This way, even a pristine system could open any > TEXT file painlessly with TeachText. [...] You are right. The problem is that the capability to "preview" a file, to borrow your term, is not a part of the Finder, and therefore, it is not an integrated feature easily available to the novice user. Not only does this confuse an uninitiated user, but it seems to be (at the very least) frustrating to those of us who are advanced users. Yes, I understand why it does what it does now and how to get around it, but it is incovenient at the least. You will note that several of the postings in this string have come from people who *love* the Mac -- these are not just random flames from DOS lovers. I find this to be a justifiable criticism of the current Finder. >Ok. That being said, why do we *not* need this? [...] > >Q: Why would someone be so lazy as to be upset at the fact that they > have to go start a word processor to view a document? > >A: Who can say? [...] Now hold it right there. I am not "lazy", and I usually open "orphaned" text files via StdFile. I keep fake WriteNow documents littered about so I can lauch the application without opening at least 3 more windows to get to it, then close the fake document and open the desired one. Sure, it works, but this is hardy the most friendly way that you should have to do this. My displeasure with this does not mean I am "lazy", but rather indicates that the fact that I have to do things this way (to me) violates the very philosophy that make me like the Mac so much. > You will also be able to install applications in the apple menu for > easy access, and make links so you can have an image of your app > in, say, two folders where it would be convenient. This will help for sure, but then, my Apple menu is already a mile long. I wish that the Applications had their own menu. >Ha! Ramble ramble. Hopefully, the sheer volume of this article will >discourage any of the more futile articles on this topic. [...] I hope they aren't futile. I would like to think that the Apple folks who monitor this group at least look at the problems mentioned here and consider them. An issue with this much discussion surrounding it indicates that this is something that the user community has a problem with. I have found some of the Apple people who monitor this file to be very responsive to user concerns in the past. Time will tell on this issue. ========== Joe Brownlee, Global Information Systems Technology, Inc. =======O== 1800 Woodfield Drive, Savoy, Illinois 61874 (217) 352-1165 E-mail: joe@gistdev.gist.com {uunet,uiucuxc}!gistdev!joe The best diplomat I know is a fully activated phaser bank. -- Montgomery Scott Go ahead. Pay attention to anything that _I_ say. Start a trend.