4.0140 User Interfaces (was Direct Manipulation) (2/50)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 29 May 90 18:26:39 EDT
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0140. Tuesday, 29 May 1990.
(1) Date: Mon, 28 May 90 06:36:19 IST (12 lines)
From: Daniel Boyarin <BOYARIN@TAUNIVM>
Subject: Re: 4.0131 Direct Manipulation: A Query
(2) Date: Sun, 27 May 90 22:17:11 EDT (38 lines)
From: "Adam C. Engst" <PV9Y@CORNELLA>
Subject: Re: 4.0131 Direct Manipulation: A Query
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 28 May 90 06:36:19 IST
From: Daniel Boyarin <BOYARIN@TAUNIVM>
Subject: Re: 4.0131 Direct Manipulation: A Query (1/40)
i am also very interested in what sheizaf had to say anbd could not quite
follow it. however, on the question of macs vs ibms, actually these days
gui's versus word- based interfaced, why don;t we assume that these are
differences of tasted and personal style as allen corre suggests and get
on with making sure that there is equivalent software for doing jobs
with both types of interface. right now for most scholarly work, in the
humanities, i still think nota-bene is the best tool around and that's a
reason to go the ibm route. daniel
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------43----
Date: Sun, 27 May 90 22:17:11 EDT
From: "Adam C. Engst" <PV9Y@CORNELLA>
Subject: Re: 4.0131 Direct Manipulation: A Query (1/40)
Alan Corre talks about not liking the Mac because he is a word person,
as opposed to a picture person. However, a more apt difference might be
the one between people who learn visually and those who learn by hearing.
I am very much a word person and have far more appreciation for the
written and spoken language than for the graphic representation. A
picture is never worth more than half a dozen words for me.
Yet in my consulting practice as in my own work I concentrate on the Mac.
I am fluent with both and learned to use the PC first. However, I find
the Mac a much more expressive environment within which to record my
words in part, I think, because I can more easily visualize the flow and
the action that lead to the finished product. When I use a PC I find
myself repeating the commands under my breath (Alt-F4 - cursor - Cntl-F4
- 1) whereas on the Mac I can see the process before I perform the
actions.
I realize my words are failing me in my attempt to elucidate a possible
difference between Mac and PC users, but consider the method with which
you learn a foreign language. Do you hear the words or see them in your
mind? And does that correlate in any way to your preference of computers?
Perhaps I'm well out in left field on this one, but it's worth thinking
about for a moment.
-Adam Engst
As an aside, I agree that Halio's research was shoddy and should never
have been published in anything approaching a respectable academic
journal. Peer review would never have let anything so loose and
non-scientific slip by.
Adam C. Engst pv9y@cornella.bitnet
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