I wrote 'Nuke Redmond'

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Sun May 7 13:48:20 2000

That would be a WONDERFUL idea ... an OS distributed on ROM. I trust you'll
start on that immediately.

Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: <jpero_at_cgocable.net>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2000 3:43 AM
Subject: Re: I wrote 'Nuke Redmond'


> > From: "Sean 'Captain Napalm' Conner" <spc_at_armigeron.com>
> > Subject: Re: I wrote 'Nuke Redmond'
> > To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
> > Date: Sun, 7 May 2000 03:53:02 -0400 (EDT)
> > Reply-to: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
>
> > It was thus said that the Great Richard Erlacher once stated:
> > >
> > > > Like Allison's comments about user space kept away from OSes and
this
> > > > limits the blowups if a typical user make an miss is spot on.
> > > >
> > > I've never experienced this before, but I'm having difficulty parsing
this
> > > sentence.
> >
> > Basically it means that as a user, if I try to delete the entire
> > filesystem it won't work. I, as a user, don't have the priviledges to
> > delete any old file---if I own them, yes, I can do what I please. But
> > system wide files? Nope. Can't do. Need administrative privs to
delete
> > any arbitrary file.
>
> What I was thinking of is a untoucheable and invisible OS and for
> managing data is data users created only. Applications and any
> little utils, drivers and hardware all are seen as "modules".
> Drivers and hardware go hand in hand and is therefore as hardware
> module set. For applications and small utils, they would be
> software modules.
>
> The user interface would be two sets of fancy "fuseboxes", each
> "fuse" is module for applications have very simple but understandable
> items like button that glows when on software startup, turn off
> certain features and/or disable that module by turning off the master
> button that is glowing to go out. To remove the application, a user
> would grab n' pull the certain application module out of it's socket
> (snick sound) and drop it in trash (noise trashcan makes when
> something thrown in) but the user-created data remains. Adding
> applications and any certain stuff software in nature come in form of
> a module(s) that you drag it from a install cdrom to the empty socket
> "application fusebox" with audiable click. Rearranging the startup
> enabled modules by physically rearrange the modules by their order.
>
> To launch applications, is by the run buttons, to end it, press it
> again it audibly starts, the button go dark with sound of running
> down. There should be two levels of user expertises: single mode or
> run multiple applications. If a application takes so long to run
> should show progress line extending, no numbers. Processing
> heavily, should show "hmmm".
>
> Same idea for hardware modules and "fusebox" with few features in
> each module for each hardware. Finally, to pull the hardware, user
> either pull the hardware itself and the modules simply diappears.
> Plug that hardware (it incidently has own drivers suite built in),
> module appears. USB's feature is very close to this mark but this is
> utterly spoiled by asking for a driver and still too complex and not
> in form of user interface I described.
>
> Note, the physical appearance should reflect what it
> should look like they have used everyday in their lives that make no
> mistaking what it is and use it. Not icons and text, each module has
> a name on it.
>
> Think of the myst and riven interfaces especially the buttons that
> lights and reconigizable info status.
>
WHAT??
>
> Snip!
>
> What I described would work with vast majority of users with
> flashing "12:00" vcrs even my mom would understand and use it in a
> flash. Apple's new stuff is not up to what I just described.
> I-opener concept is very close to that mark. M$ stuff is too complex
> and too confusingly, bad wordings and maze-like.
>
> Also, no menu! Basic functions that get used heavily comes in form
> of few buttons in a row. To use more complex features and to access
> features, use function commands via keyboard and a manual. People
> can learn by rote by using it again and again thereby the manual get
> used less and less with time. Too much time is wasted picking out
> menus with mouse. Should consider the mouse as minor part just for
> buttons, selecting lines or items, adjust something.
>
> > -spc (One running on a diskless machine)
>
> Wizard
>
Received on Sun May 07 2000 - 13:48:20 BST