GUIs 'forced' on people (was Re: Here's something to consider.)

From: John Foust <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
Date: Thu Sep 17 08:55:33 1998

At 05:05 PM 9/16/98 PDT, Max Eskin wrote:
>
>AutoCAD had a CLI up to the latest version,
>not sure if they took it out. It was a Command-line drafting program,
>usable very efficiently. Only now have they jumped on the Windows
>buttons-pop-up-when-mouse-moves nonsense.

Bad example, really. AutoCAD has a slew of interfaces: menus, buttons,
command-line, scripting, and several APIs for programming. Autodesk
has been very stodgy about whether or not their products can use
parts of those interfaces that might obliquely compete with AutoCAD.
For example, I recall anecdotes regarding whether 3D Studio for DOS
was allowed to have certain numerical interfaces (the ruler?) lest
someone try to use it for CAD.

- John
Received on Thu Sep 17 1998 - 08:55:33 BST