From: johnsd2@vccnw04.its.rpi.edu (Daniel Norman Johnson)
Subject: Re: More Defense of CLI (there, I changed the subject ... )
Reply-To: johnsd2@rpi.edu
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 20:32:41 GMT

In article <1992Oct14.185818.3475@nwnexus.WA.COM>, kanefsky@halcyon.com (Steve Kanefsky) writes:
|> In article <_!2zygn@rpi.edu> johnsd2@rpi.edu writes:
|> >In article <strobl.719069866@gmd.de>, strobl@gmd.de (Wolfgang Strobl) writes:
|> >|> In <1992Oct13.202113.23250@gvl.unisys.com> dave@prc.unisys.com (David Lee Matuszek) writes:
|> >|> 
|> >|> [...]
|> >|> 
[deletia- Bike/keyboard metaphor]
|> >
|> >Seems to be the case to me. At least, walking is easier than swimming
|> >or biking for me.
|> >
|> >[the $64,000 question is who is going to tell us that the keyboard is
|> >also faster, just like a bike is faster] :) 

And the winner is... Steve Kanefsky!

|> Why the smiley?

Because I was smiling when I wrote it. :)

|>  The fact is, the bicycle is a more contrived, more
|> complex, harder to learn mode of transportation.

Yep.

|>  Nevertheless it is
|> faster and more efficient by far than any natural mode of transportation. 

Yep.

|> Please drop all the arguments about which is easier to learn, because
|> they are irrelevant.

Nope. Quite relevant. Everyone can can walk; not everyone can bike.
Wonder why. :) However, this is not hte point you seem to be
arguing, so lets move on.

|>  The question is about which one is faster and/or
|> more efficient for an experienced user.

Ok, lets deal with that question then.

|>  Surely you agree that they
|> keyboard is best for communicating written language (i.e. you don't use
|> the mouse and Keycaps to type letters).

No. I think the keyboard is better than the mouse for giving
free form words (and such) to the computer. Id rather dictate
tho. :)

|>  Surely you must also agree that
|> written language is often the best way of communicating instructions,

No; the best way is with SPOKEN language. This isn't always
possible (last will and testament, say..) but still...

|> including instructions to computers (if not, what do you propose to
|> replace all the programming languages?).

Nope.

VERY few people who use computers can use programming languages,
or would want to. They offer a VERY slow way to get things done.
It also happens to be the ONLY way to make a computer do something.
The solution is to get someone else to do the programming FOR you,
preferably in a general form that can be sold to more than one
person. Hence, applications. :)

Also hence programming languages, which are designed to make
programming easier. But nobody has ever managed to make programming
simple.

That does NOT mean that said programs need to inherit the problems
inherint in programming (unless they are
designed to DO programming). It would defeat the purpose.

|>  Thus you must agree that the 
|> keyboard is often the best way of communicating instructions to a
|> computer.

Nope. Sorry. Im just too pig-headed. :)

-- 
			- Dan Johnson
And God said "Jeeze, this is dull"... and it *WAS* dull. Genesis 0:0

These opinions have had all identifiying marks removed, and are untraceable.
You'll never know whose they are.