From: mmunson@animal.es.com (Mark Munson)
Subject: Re: More Defense of CLI 
Reply-To: mmunson@animal.es.com (Mark Munson)
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., Salt Lake City, UT
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 19:49:01 GMT

In <1992Oct3.235607.14542@nwnexus.WA.COM> kanefsky@halcyon.com (Steve Kanefsky) writes:>If you really think that the GUI is faster than a CLI in every case,

>try this:  Go into your favorite word processor.  Type a line.  Now 
>make 5 copies of the line using command-C and command-V.  Now do the
>same using the copy and paste menu items.  Time each one and tell me
>which is faster.  

The Mac GUI doesn't require that you use memu items over keyboard equivalents.  Both
are present.  In fact, under System 7 there are keyboard equivalents and short-cuts
for nearly everything (a broken mouse won't force you to stop working).

Command key equivalents aren't what a CLI is all about.  Command Line Interface requires
you to type commands.  Remember EdLin?  In fact, most applications don't have command
line interfaces for thier operations because they are harder to use.

A more practical example would be to copy 3 unrelated files into a folder:

CLI - 
      type "ls <CR>"       (locate file names to copy)
      type "cp -n user.list group1/.  <CR>"
      type "cp -n rtest.in.a group1/. <CR>"
      type "cp -n test.out group1/. <CR>"
      type "cd group1"     (change to group1 subdirectory to check operation)
      type "ls"            (locate files and insure they were copied)

Mac GUI -

       Shift-click on: user.list, rtest.in.a & test.out            (select files to copy)
       Drag selected file (others will follow) to group1 folder  (copy summary displayed)
       Double click group1 folder             (open destination to verify copy operation)

Most users, novice or advanced would find the second operation to be easier and
more intuitive to learn.

On a command line interface, you can get the benefit of a wild card operator to
work on several files at once.  An example would be:  cp test*.* group1 
However, you would have to be carefull that thier isn't a file that starts with
'test' that your really don't want to copy.  Prompting before each file name would
work, but it would be cumbersome.

On the Mac, you can list the directory by file, name, date/time, and type.  Related files
are easily selected with a single drag operation.  I files don't have a similarity, they
can easily be 'grouped' by placing them in a specific location, or by placing them in
a folder (yes, you can drag the folder and the files will copy also).



While both interfaces can perform certain specific operations quicker, the GUI will
save you time.  The learning curve and training costs are reduced with a GUI.  With
fewer typing operations, the chance of an error (and the time spent correcting them)
is reduced.  And with fewer obscure commands, a GUI will require less time for looking
up command syntax and operation. 


But if you MUST have a CLI on a Mac, you CAN have it.  How many times does this have
to be said?

BTW:  If your reasoning for disliking a GUI is your experience with Windows, then
you really don't have a full idea of what a good GUI is all about.  Work on a Mac
(late model w/color) for awhile.  I'm sure you will revise your opinion of GUIs.

[MGM]
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy