Marcus Carr <mcarr at allette.com.au> on 02/22/2007 10:46:17 PM: > For our mechanically gifted friend, I'd be > inclined to provide a graphic interface and a touch screen that let him > drill to the warp drive than compel him to hunt and peck on a toughened > keyboard. An index may have its place, but it's a much smaller home than
> where it used to live. > Now what exactly is the difference between "hunt and peck" and "drill". And how is a toughened and oil covered touch-screen and more elegant than a toughened keyboard? It's poor form to use derogatory terminology for one option we don't support and positive terminology for the one we do. The statements also unveil a certain snobbery of IT superiority by denigrating those that work in other fields. Denigrate anything linked to the awful old hands-on industry and try to enlighten it with beautiful IT derived terms and symbology. Graphical interfaces have their advantages. And when applied where they are the best choice/toll for the application they're great. But a purely graphical interface is a poor option in terms of efficiency. The mouse has it's place, but for MANY actions keyboard shortcuts are the best option. And would you suggest the stupidity of a graphical only interface and touch-screen with the abomination of a touch-screen pop-up keyboard for data and text tasks? There is no "hunting or pecking" not "drilling" in either a well designed graphical interface or a well designed index if the thing being searched for is at the top level (say the engine). But, when searching for something more arcane down in the bowels, what is faster and more efficient? A bad paper index and a bad on-line index (or ghastly full-text search) may both list "hood" or "wrench". But only a good index (hardcopy or electronic) will quickly redirect you when you search for "bonnet" or "spanner". Drop the prejudice against indices as a hardcopy only issue and recognise that index information is useful metadata, regardless of how it is ultimately searched and presented. Eric L. Dunn Senior Technical Writer _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This e-mail communication (and any attachment/s) may contain confidential or privileged information and is intended only for the individual(s) or entity named above and to others who have been specifically authorized to receive it. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, use or disclose the contents of this communication to others. Please notify the sender that you have received this e-mail in error by reply e-mail, and delete the e-mail subsequently. Please note that in order to protect the security of our information systems an AntiSPAM solution is in use and will browse through incoming emails. Thank you. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ce message (ainsi que le(s) fichier/s), transmis par courriel, peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels ou prot?g?s et est destin? ? l?usage exclusif du destinataire ci-dessus. Toute autre personne est par les pr?sentes avis?e qu?il est strictement interdit de le diffuser, le distribuer ou le reproduire. Si vous l?avez re?u par inadvertance, veuillez nous en aviser et d?truire ce message. Veuillez prendre note qu'une solution antipollupostage (AntiSPAM) est utilis?e afin d'assurer la s?curit? de nos systems d'information et qu'elle fur?tera les courriels entrant. Merci. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
