On 7/12/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > OK. I'm just confused then. If the mouse and pointer don't constitute user > interface then we have a semantics problem. What do you mean by "User > Interface"?
The GUI too. The way to launch programs, the way to find files, the way to manage printers, that's all part of the UI. The whole WIMP experience. > You talk about the keyboard, but if there was ONE thing I always > thought the Mac did properly, it was to incorporate consistent keyboard > commands that worked intuitively in every application that followed Apple's > guidelines (after all they came built into the ROM toolbox) across the board > from 1984 on -- I am constantly amazed that key commands I use under System > 1.0 work the same under OSX. For my money the Mac keyboard always traveled > first class. Windows on OTOH was always a confusing jumble of right and left > mouse clicks, CTRL, ALT, SHIFT, CMND, FUNCTION and letter key combos that > changed from application to application (and even WITHIN the application!). It used to be clear & consistent if you learned it. Complex, yes, but worth it. > But I am curious to know > specifically why you consider the Mac interface treats the keyboard less > than first-class compared to Windows 3.1, if no other differences. Oh, that's easy. OK. On your Mac. with system software circa 1989, contemporaneous with Windows 3.0, show me how to move a window, resize it, maximise it, switch between programs, oen an menu, navigate the menus & select options, all using only the keyboard & without slowly and tediously moving the mouse pointer around with direction keys. You can't. Windows could once be operated successfully 100% with the keyboard, no mouse at all, and it was fast & easy & efficient to do so. That was lost with the Win95 interface, where it got harder, and with the Win98 one, some things become impossible, or very very hard. It's the only GUI I've ever seen that could be driven like this and it was pure gold. Wonderful to have. Linux GNOME has nearly caught up today but only with where Windows still is, not back to how it used to be. -- Liam Proven Home: http://welcome.to/liamsweb * Blog: http://lproven.livejournal.com AOL, Yahoo UK: liamproven * ICQ: 73187508 * MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Compact Macs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/>. Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Compact Macs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/compact.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[email protected]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive:<http://www.mail-archive.com/compact.macs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> --------------------------------------------------------------- iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
