Sorry to be so long in responding, but I've been on the road the last 10
days...
Jerry J. Haumberger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On 1999-10-02 [EMAIL PROTECTED] <Bob> said:
> [...]
> >If this is a related to the GUI vs CLI discussion -- and I'm not
> >really certain it is -- then I'd argue that visual interfaces are
> >FAR closer native to human thinking.
> [...]
>
> There are lazy people with or without computers. With all the advances of
> scholars, the printing press, the typewriter -- and now computers -- do
you
> think that returning to pictures, instead of language, is the best
direction
> for developing the tools of learning? Not the only direction -- but the
> *best* direction?
I'm not certain that "return" is the right word. Early computer interfaces
did not use graphics simply because they *COULDN'T* for many years. Once
systems became reasonably powerful, affordable and useful for general
purposes, a great deal of time and effort was spent providing graphical
interfaces.
I still can not understand the argument that a CLI is somehow more
"powerful". I have an even harder time understanding how a textual interface
can even come close to providing the representation of vast amounts of
information needed in an analog world. I suppose if the intent were to
commune with the machine, "closeness" could be argued, but I find even that
a bit far-fetched. If a CLI is closer to the true heart of the machine, then
my old AIM board with its 7 segment LED display is even closer. No wimpy
QWERTY keyboard either!
Now I know that programming is still mostly done by typing in lines of code.
I also know that most advanced development environments consist of one or
more screens with multiple windows, and typically use color to highlight
syntax and errors. Full-blown object-oriented systems take graphical
representation even further.
Now I'm not going to even suggest that Windows is the "best" (nor the
"worst") OS for any given purpose. Merely that a GUI is not inherently less
powerful. ANYTHING that isolates the user from the inner workings of the
machine, be it a text interface with restrictions on operation or a GUI, is
less powerful.
> I don't. Anyway, I certainly don't expect the desire for Windows is going
> to change because of what I have to say on the matter.
Heh. Well, I doubt anyone's going to do much based on my opinions either!
> [...]
>
> C:\>________j_e_r_r_y__j__h_a_u_m_b_e_r_g_e_r________
> C:\>__an_advocate_of_sensible_cli_operating_systems__
- Bob
Advocate of doing sensible things with operating systems
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