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Date: Sat,  5 May 2007 11:06:03 +0800
From: W B Hacker <wbh@conducive.org>
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To: Fans of the OS Plan 9 from Bell Labs <9fans@cse.psu.edu>
Subject: Re: [9fans] what a surprise
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Steve Simon wrote:
>> In particular, to be at all effective with rio (and especially acme)  
>> you need to be a capable command-line user and understand how to  
>> compose those primitives.
> 
> I think this is true, however I do think there is a class of user who writes
> applescript macros and Windows BAT or even VB who can relate to rc scripts
> and acme/sam/rio.
> 
> Mainstream computer users who can appreciate the plan9 GUI environment are
> not common but they do exist.
> 
> -Steve
> 

Counterpoint:

I'll take the first as stipulated - IF qualifed with:

'... and have learned in, or adapted to, the acme/rio environment.'

IOW 'the appropriate sort of' capable CLI user..


But IMNSHO, the exact opposite applies to paragraph two!

- the more familiar with *any other* CLI environment, (possible exception of 
Oberon/Aos) the *more difficult* it is to adapt to acme/rio.

Or to accept the need to do, or value of, so doing. It just isn't immjediately 
obvious as to WHY SO.

A person with no significant CLI 'habits' to alter/unlearn would generally have 
an easier time learning acme/rio from a cold start than your exemplary 
'exeprienced' CLI'er. As was once the stregth of a Mac vs a 'pee sea'.

Too much to 'shed' before learning a new paradigm.

I don't think acme/rio vs, for example the comparably text-based, cut 'n paste 
to-execute 'commands-from anywhere usage' in native Oberon / Aos are anywhere 
near as different as Chinese and English (which are processed by entirely 
different parts of the brain - written OR spoken)..

BUT .. the *apparent* 'wrong handedness' of acme/rio vs 'all others' is a 
barrier, even to natively ambidextrous folk (ich).

Learning 9'ish mouse-chording and the rest of acme/rio just to explore 'plumber' 
and such may constitute as important and necessary step to a better productivity 
'fit' for Plan9 [1] as adapting to RPN was for forth ... but barrier these are 
to the newbie.

As with Chinese, English, Arabic, or Finnish - small children seem to have no 
problem learning at about the same age. So it isn't about what we can or cannot 
learn, or even about works or doesn't work.

It is about what best fits the local environment.

;-)

JM2CW

Bill Hacker

[1] I have come to view acme/rio & chording as an IDE suite specific to 
productive 9'ish devel - on which score I am not able to fault it - nor care to try.