Kbd UIs (was Re: ID computer

From: Mark Tapley <mtapley_at_swri.edu>
Date: Thu May 24 11:26:36 2001

All,
        wanted to add my ($/50) to this debate.
        In any discussion of what's the best UI, you have to be pretty
careful to completely define your metric. It may include not only what you
are doing, but also the time it takes you to learn (or teach someone else)
how to do it, or other factors.

        Examples:
        1) I've watched a vi wizard at work. He's *blindingly* fast
accomplishing tasks (rewriting code, re-compiling, etc). I have extreme
doubts that I could ever approach his speed with a CLI/vi interface. *But*
I can already get close with a mouse text editor. With enough practice,
maybe I could get close with vi or emacs. But I don't want to practice that
much.
        2) I do a fair amount of work on remote boxes. Some are far enough
across the internet that xterm isn't practical, or I have to work over a
modem line. Telnet and a CLI are absolutely indispensable to me in those
situations (and MICROS~1 Windows would be absolutely impossible to use).
        3) I use some graphics/drawing programs. I can imagine trying to
use them with no mouse - but I recoil in horror at the thought.

        My bottom line: both interfaces is the way to go. I can learn
easily to do things pretty fast with a mouse, and for tasks I don't do that
often, that's usually what I want. I can do things on a remote machine
better with a CLI, and sometimes that's what I want. Both have their place.
                                                        - Mark
Received on Thu May 24 2001 - 11:26:36 BST