Re: [tlug] Nero - Interesting?

[Josh Glover <jmglov@example.com>]

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 20:09:08 +0900, Stephen J. Turnbull
<stephen@example.com> wrote:

> >>>>> "Lyle" == Lyle Saxon <Lyle> writes:
> 
>     Lyle> First and foremost I am interested in performance - and
>     Lyle> (ashamed to say) ease of use is a factor due to time
>     Lyle> constraints.
> 
> Exactly, and I see no reason to be ashamed about it.

Of course not! *Everyone* is interested in ease-of-use to some point;
after all, who *wants* to beat himself up with a bad interface.

The difference is that most TLUGgers define "easy" a little
differently. SJT, Chuck Muller and I obviously find (X)Emacs quite
easy to use. Many if not most of the people on TLUG often find the CLI
easier to use than a GUI. Why? Because the keyboard is a fairly
efficient input device, so once you have learned an interface, there
is tremendous value in not having to reach for the bloody mouse.
Keyboard-enabled GUIs are another Good Thing--I doubt that I am alone
in using the keyboard even for web navigation: if I am browsing or
skimming, I will use the mouse to click about and scroll, but for
intense reading, I always use Page Up / Page Down and the arrows keys.
Form input is a no-brainer, or should be (why can't some people get
the damned tab order right!).

In any case, the point is that demanding easy to use interfaces is not
at all embarrassing or bad.

> You may not get the kind of help you're looking for on TLUG to the extent that I'm
> representative of the folks hanging out here, and I see no reason to be ashamed
> about that, either.

Then again, he may. Some of us tend to produce Quick-N-Dirty Guides[1]
from time to time...

> If this is the best forum for you to
> get help with your questions, well, something is going to have to
> give, but it's not at all obvious to me what.

Not necessarily, Steve. I know from firsthand experience what happens
to a newbie on this list: he tends to either sod off (as so many have
done) or become Unix-ised. Luckily, I chose the latter path, the
straight and narrow, the harder path, the Light Side, etc.

Seriously, though, the fact that Lyle has stuck around for so long
shows some willingness to learn on his part, and from time to time, he
posts something that I think is indicative of The Unix Way starting to
take root.

Cheers,
Josh

[1] http://www.qnd-guides.net/