j@bucsf.bu.edu (James Allard) (02/10/90)
I've been reading a lot of messages lately from people that want their IBMs to act like Macs.......and now I have to deal with Microsoft Word for Windows so I can use my mouse with my word processor. I'm getting tired of this. If I want to draw, or run CAD, or play games, I'll use my mouse. Please stop trying to make my mouse run my system (Windows), stop trying to make my word processor look like it's Mac counterpart. I bought a PC because I wanted a command line. I wanted arrow keys. I wanted to compute. I didn't buy it to click. If you want to click, go to comp.sys.mac, if you want to compute, be satisfied that you don't have a nice gif in the background of your shell Minor flame, J. Allard ****These opinions are solely mine. If my employer does not agree with them, they didn't have to hire me.....:-)
mp2k+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Palmquist) (02/11/90)
J. Allard writes: >Please stop trying to make my mouse run my system (Windows), stop trying >to make my word processor look like it's Mac counterpart. I bought a PC >because I wanted a command line. I wanted arrow keys. I wanted to >compute. I didn't buy it to click. If you want to click, go to >comp.sys.mac, if you want to compute, be satisfied that you don't have a >nice gif in the background of your shell I use Macs, PCs, RTs, and Vaxes on a regular basis, and I don't buy your complaint. I have a powerful graphical interface (an X-window forerunner) on my IBM RT workstation that relies heavily on a mouse, and also supports keystroke commands. When I want graphics (MacDraw II, for instance), I use a Mac, but even there I rely heavily on keystrokes to speed things up (BTW, I despise Mac keyboards that lack arrow keys). When I want statistics, I run BMDP on the vax or systat on my 386. And when I'm using the workstation or the PC, the mouse helps move data back and forth quickly between windows. I think it's better to have both (a mouse and an intelligently designed set of keystroke commands -- I'm ruling out WordPerfect here), than only one or the other. And after using both MS Word 4.0 for the Mac and 5.0 for the PC, I'm looking forward to my upgrade to Word for Windows. Happily pointing and clicking, Mike Palmquist ************************ mp2k@andrew.cmu.edu Department of English Carnegie Mellon University voice: 412/268-5636
Will@cup.portal.com (Will E Estes) (02/12/90)
< I've been reading a lot of messages lately from people that want their IBMs < to act like Macs.......and now I have to deal with Microsoft Word for < Windows so I can use my mouse with my word processor. I'm getting tired of < this. If I want to draw, or run CAD, or play games, I'll use my mouse. < Please stop trying to make my mouse run my system (Windows), stop trying This remark shows you have never used either Windows or Windows For Word as more than a toy (sometimes we make reality conform to our expectations). Have you noticed that the menus and dialog boxes in all Windows applications have one character underlined? These are accelerator keys, and you type Alt-<underlined character> and this will activate that feature. What's more every option in every dialog box has an accelerator key, and this makes for totally random access to any feature in the dialog box. I have been using Windows for years now, and much to my surprise I haven't used a mouse very often. There are days of using Excel and Windows Word where I do not hit the mouse button once. Every mouse action has a quick keystroke equivalent. I can negotiate the user interface via the accelerators *faster* than I can a character based application equivalent that does not allow random access to any of its data-entry screen's fields (the equivalent of a Windows dialog box's gadgets). Most DOS applications working in character mode do not offer such conveniences. You should choose applications based on the minimum level of performance that is acceptable to you, the minimum set of features that your application requires, and the overall comfort level you feel using the application. Windows suffers in the first area, excels in the second area, and it has no equal in the last. Therefore to condemn it because it gives you the option to use a mouse is not a fair appraisal of the product at all. Will (sun!portal!cup.portal.com!Will)
jmann@bigbootay.sw.stratus.com (Jim Mann) (02/13/90)
I've seen nothing in Word for Windows that forces you to use a mouse. Some things are easier if you use a mouse, but then again some things in Word for DOS 5.0 are a lot easier if you use a mouse.