Re: my open x11 issues
Re: my open x11 issues
- Subject: Re: my open x11 issues
- From: Jim Elliott <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 19:23:21 -0500
On Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003, at 17:32 America/Chicago, Max Waterman wrote:
This works if your using a machine for the first time, but some of us
have been using other systems for decades, and quite happily at that.
Perhaps our muscle memories, or whatever, work very nicely, thank you,
using this other system.
This is an example of a situation where self-assessment really can't be
used to give reliable answers. It *feels* every bit just as efficient
to use a menu at the top of a window, but it empirically is *not*. It
takes more time to acquire a menu that's not at the top of the screen.
Fitt's law explains why, and laboratory experiments have validated it
beyond any dispute. Now, because your mind is actively *working* to
acquire the menu (and is actually working harder when it's in a movable
window that isn't bounded by the infinitely-tall screen edge), that
time does not perceptually exist. It is inaccessible to your
consciousness--you're busy, time flies. But you are measurably slower.
Being forced to change just because they claim to know better, isn't
likely to make them any sales. Making it the default doesn't hurt
anyone,
but not making it available hurts everyone (apart from those who use it
that way from the start).
It doesn't hurt people in terms of productivity, but it sure does annoy
people. (And note, I'm not trying to deny that your annoyance is
valid!) That's perhaps enough reason to be flexible about it, but I
doubt Apple will. It would break too much.
I'm an idiot for assuming I would be able to make it work the way I do
when
I bought the thing. I should have found it out beforehand, then I
would have
more seriously considered buying a Linux box.
You could always install Linux! :)
Anyway, this is an argument that I've seen battled out many a time on
many mailing lists and usenet groups, and it probably won't ever die.
One of the things that makes the Mac different from other platforms is
the way Apple establishes and enforces standards. They've gotten lax
and somewhat less effective at that lately, and perhaps they should
either get back to their human-interface roots, or give up entirely.
But it's the polar opposite of the X/Unix world, and I can understand
finding it hostile, confining, frustrating for people who are used to
the tabula rasa of that world.
-Jim
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