From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2000 07:28:23 -0700 From: Randolph Fritz To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu Subject: Re: [9fans] gtk port Message-ID: <20000630072823.D10630@cyber-dyne.com> References: <962304496.164232@jet.ncc.icyb.kiev.ua> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii In-Reply-To: ; from hiroki-t@is.aist-nara.ac.jp on Fri, Jun 30, 2000 at 07:15:48PM +0900 Topicbox-Message-UUID: d0165ac0-eac8-11e9-9e20-41e7f4b1d025 In my view, arguing about usability--though very common--generates more heat than light; there is simply no way to predict such things without testing, making for a very different design regime than that of a software system with a well-defined specification; in software with a substantial HCI component, the user is the specification. In my view, the visual component of an interface is an important means of communication with the user, not simply decorative. An architectural example will perhaps help: who here has encountered a building without a clearly indicated entrance? Of those of us who have, what was the experience of finding that entrance like? Both of those things said, I agree that gnome/gtk/gdk is not very 9ish. However, having them available will make Plan 9 more accessible to a wider user and developer community, which seems to me likely to be positive. -- Randolph Fritz Eugene, Oregon, USA