Re: Text processor

[jason whizzird net]

On 19-Jun-99 Robin Miller scribbled:
> 
>> vi is OK, but I like to work with a GUI. I have tried to use Emacs,
>> but I must be thick or something, because I just don't "get" it.
> 
> Linux/Unix developers hate to admit that ~95% of all
> computer users prefer GUIs to text commands. PC usage took
> off when Mac/Windows screens became the norm, not before.
> Linux will only become a popular desktop OS when it offers
> Windows-level usablity (or better) to people who use their
> computers as tools to accomplish non-computing tasks. 
<snip>
what most nondeveloper types hate to admit is that when you make an app "user
friendly" it usually loses power and adds bloat and bugs (eg M$ Word). in vim
and emacs you can do lots of things in a few keystrokes that a gui editor like
notepad would take minutes to do. apps like gvim and x-emacs are adding the gui
to an existing studly console app, so there's no loss of power and the mouse is
there too in case you forget how to do something big. i've been using vim for
15 hours or so now and can do quite a bit because there are menus and the menus
say what the keyboard commands are.
> 
> 
> Gnome is a great step toward Linux usability for
> non-programmers. I'm just geeky enough to be able to find
> apps that are close to what I need and bend them to my will,
> but most journalists aren't former US Army) Military
> Intelligence sigint techs who started using DARPAnet in
> 1972. They're liberal arts people who can't even diagnose
> their cars' fuel injection systems. You can't expect them to
i'm an engineer (software, of course) and don't know much about my car except
when to take it to the dealer for maintainance.

> learn emacs as long as there are programs available that are
> better-suited to their jobs -- and take no time to figure
> out.
> 
> The greatest piece of Unix and Linux (and more specifically
> Gnome) advocacy imaginable would be a text/HTML editor you
> could plunk a reporter down in front of and get the
> words,"Wow! This is great!" in return.
> 
> The WWW runs primarily on GNU software, a growing percentage
> of which is running on Linux. It is sad that the content on
> it cannot be created in Linux with GNU software -- or at
> least with commercial software running on Linux, preferably
> in Gnome.

wrong. the content is mostly text files, perl (or whatever) scripts, databases,
and images. all of which can be created on *ix especially gnome/gtk linux (cuz
we have the gimp!).

> 
> - Robin Miller
> 
> 
> -- 
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E-Mail: jason@whizzird.net
Date: 19-Jun-99
Time: 15:43:49
gtkICQ: 41540388

Linux Power! 
You will be de-assimilated.
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