From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: splite@purdue.edu To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu Subject: Re: [9fans] mouse dragging Message-ID: <20031010150044.GB16004@sigint.cs.purdue.edu> References: <235f188c32d6eaa3e5180c5c72e8b485@orthanc.cc.titech.ac.jp> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:00:44 -0500 Topicbox-Message-UUID: 6bd4bddc-eacc-11e9-9e20-41e7f4b1d025 On Thu, Oct 09, 2003 at 11:16:38PM +0100, Charles Forsyth wrote: > >>i'm always fsck'd up when i point an icon which i can't > >>identify its function and wait a stupid balloon to appear. > > the most amusing example of that i've seen recently > was the Redhat button with some text in it that when > hovered over produced the same text in a balloon. I can't wait to see what follows "tool tips". How about full motion video in a popup window (maybe with some subtle product placement) that shows what would happen if you clicked on the icon. Maybe after that, Microsoft will be ready to switch to Voice-activated User Interfaces and start the cycle anew: take 1: speak natural language commands to the computer doesn't work, people can't form unambiguous commands take 2: computer speaks a list of commands to speak back doesn't work, applications add too many commands, takes all day to hear them take 3: invent "shorthand" language so that it doesn't take so long to recite menu items doesn't work, people can't remember the shorthand take 4: if no reponse to "shorthand" query, repeat in real language and wait for user to confirm works, but everything now takes ten times as long to do take 5: people switch to 9mm command language (small boyd tribute) Of course, by then Plan 9 users will be driving acme by thought control. (But remember, you must think in UTF-8.)