Larry@sri-unix (07/24/82)
Suppose I'm working with a command completion system and I don't know for sure how many characters I have to type to uniquely identify a command. Next, suppose that the system if heavily loaded. In that case, I'll either end up typing too many characters and backing up out of extra commands I didn't want, or else I'll type a character and then sit and wait for the command completion to pop up. I would much prefer a system where I can easily understand the circumstances in which the computer is going to do something - either because ALL the commands are abbreviated to the same length, or because commands don't complete until I type a space, or because they don't complete until I type something special (escape). Basically, I don't think users should be required to memorize abbreviations, especially if those abbreviations are subject to change. Abbreviations should be there to speed type-in for commands the user is familiar with. Command completion should be there to reassure the user that the abbreviation was correct. Any comments? Larry -------