info-mac@utcsrgv.UUCP (info-mac) (07/11/84)
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 1984 06:45 EDT
To: info-mac@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA
Sender: uw-beaver!TIM%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA
From: Tim McNerney <uw-beaver!TIM@MIT-MC.ARPA>
Subject: Text editors: The Keyboard vs. Mouse argument
In-Reply-To: Msg of 9 Jul 1984 23:23-EDT from wert.pa at XEROX.ARPA
The argument about whether people should be using a mouse rather than
"cryptic" keyboard commands to move the cursor, etc. could go on
forever. It is clearly a matter of personal preference. Computer
novices will prefer to use the mouse because it is easy to learn and
easy to use, even though it may be slower than using one or two
keystroke commands. Programmers who are also touch typists will
probably want to keep both hands on the keyboard all the times. For
me, even though there may have a mouse handy, using keyboard commands
to move the cursor around is almost always faster. However, for
touch typists who are computer novices, the answer is not "cut and
dry." All those funny keyboard commands take time to learn, and they
are only fast if you can remember them quickly.
There is no "right way" in this situation and no point in being
dogmatic about it either. Why not simply provide the user with both
techniques, and let him or her decide?
Since I don't work for Apple, I don't know for sure why MacWrite does
not include keyboard commands for moving the cursor. However, I do
know that writing a full blown EMACS-like editor is no trivial
task--there are a lots of commands to write (up, down, right, left,
forward word, backward word, and the list can go on and on). It is
likely that Apple deliberately chose to let an outside company write
such an editor. And no doubt, someone will (has already?).
Tim McNerney
P.S. Again, I hate to keep reminding people, but this mailing list
has turned into a big flame session. If your message does not
contain information that will be useful to the Macintosh user
community, or a well thought out question that cannot be
answered or clarified by reading Inside Macintosh or other
easily available documents, please don't send it to INFO-MAC.
Thanks for your cooperation.