the lost dialog
Tuesday, 17. January 2006, 21:10:05
Interaction with the computer has mainly evolved around the WIMP approach, requiring a low learning curve and little effort from the user - with the basic misunderstanding that userfriendly does not necessarily mean only easy to use
, but might also require some learning process. However, in our modern society nobody is willing to commit oneself to the learning process any more, people want their food pre-chewed and pre-digested; they have lost the capability and the will to engage in a dialog, to listen, to think, to react - that is all too much effort. Our society looks for the brain-dead entertainment that requires no interaction and the least intellectual effort.
I have the suspicion that there is a link between this and the decline of the CLI - interaction via the command line is all about dialog, commands are given, questions are asked, and responses are read: all based on the simple and familiar syntax <doSomething> <toThis>.
I do not want to say that the command line is the best, nor the only solution. But for several tasks it might well be a better UI than the graphical one, and in many ways a more efficient one - but we too easily discard this option a priori due to the fact that it is so far away from the well-known WIMP environment - that it requires you to sit up, read your screen, parse the string, and finally activate your brain and decide how to react - it is asking you for a dialog.
I like the command line.
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As for the propensity of the average homo sapiens to try anything more intellectually challenging that a TV - well, that is another story, and is in no way unique to computers
M.
By Moose, # 17. January 2006, 21:14:47
Anyway, I don't think the commandline is suitable for the masses, regardless of how well educated, lazy, or whatever they are. Just like in the beginning of automative transportation all drivers had to be mechanics, it isn't a shame to just drive your car nowadays without ever opening the hood. But it is nice to use a car where the hood can be opened of course, even if you are not a mechanic but just a slightly geeky driver.
To be honest, I was always finding ways to avoid the command lines, and never memorized complex commands like xcopy in DOS
I used the graphical file manager in DOS 5, when I didn't use the one that came in WordPerfect. And you will not see me near Wget without WgetUI...
[1] http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html
By Rijk, # 17. January 2006, 22:56:39
Thanks for pointing at that essay - yes, I did read it a long time ago, but forgot it in this context. And indeed, the last words are what is at the heart of my post: far from any , I am simply making *my own* choices. And even though the command line is my preferred UI for most tasks, I don't think I would feel comfortable, or rather I wouldn't really enjoy *browsing* all time in text-mode
Each task requires its interaction mode, and interface.
By csant, # 18. January 2006, 00:07:43