spiffy terminals (was: printf, data presentation)

[Dominic Dunlop]

[Goodness knows where follow-ups should be posted.  My guess is above.]

In article <590 at dms.UUCP> albaugh at dms.UUCP (Mike Albaugh) writes:
>From article <2117 at van-bc.UUCP>, by sl at van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne):
>> ... the cost of developing the programs for the
>> Macintosh is higher due to developing the user interface.
>	And re-develop it for every system release.... :-)
>> 
>> The primary advantage of the Mac interface is it's uniformity across
>> applications, ease of use for non computer literate users and fast learning
>> curve.
>... Soon after you get up to speed, you try somthing just a little out of
>the ordinary and hit a brick wall (like a function that _only_ has a short-cut
>(no menu item) or one that is hidden three menues deep in a strange place.

What developers are supposed to do is RTFM.  I've got 200 pounds (UK
retail, not weight) of _Inside Macintosh_, _User Interface Guidelines_ and
more sitting on my bookshelf and looking rather prettier than (say) the
SVID, but have I read them?  Have I hell!  The volume of the tracts one is
supposed to read and inwardly digest in order to become a true Mac accolyte
is just too great for me, and, I suspect, for most others -- including
those who get to develop Macintosh applications.  However, I do know that
_User Interface Guidelines_ specifically counsels against short-cut-only
options, and against menus nested more deeply than two layers.

I'd also give Apple high marks for authoring their own religious materials
from day one.  Wouldn't it have been nice if Microsoft had given pointers
to the features of OS/2 when MS-DOS first appeared?  Wouldn't it have been
nice if future VGA compatibility had been discussed when the EGA came out?
_Inside Macintosh_ has always given ``dos and don'ts'' regarding the
writing of applications able to grow with the Mac -- although there have
been some surprises along the way, meaning that even the most conscientious
developer is likely to get bitten once in a while.  And besides, if your
competitor brings out a spiffy new release using every feature in the latest
256k ROM (or whatever), you'd better do the same.  But, the less
conscientious the developer, the more often bitten.  When Apple itself is
shipping Hypercard, a product unable to do much with large screens, and
ignorant of colour and grey-scales (although it is clever with half-tones),
one begins to suspect that the problem may be widespread...
-- 
Dominic Dunlop
domo at sphinx.co.uk  domo at riddle.uucp