On Tue, Feb 11, 2003 at 12:43:58PM +0000, John Levon wrote: > On Tue, Feb 11, 2003 at 01:41:34PM +0100, Andre Poenitz wrote:
> > > I want default usable interfaces that do not require book-learnin' > > I've never seen a search-and-replace dialog that would qualify as "more > > usable" than a minibuffer based approach with a decent history. > > I did require some learning, though... > The point is that the occassional or new user gets to use the dialog, > which is (hopefully) obvious to use. As a user gets more experienced, or > starts using search more heavily, the more efficient interface is there > for them. Yes! (Oh, dear; I'm agreeing with John again :) This is the Mac/Windows difference. Any idiot can sit down and use either (ok, today's windows; not older ones). Mac tends to have other and more efficient ways of doing things as you get experience--oddly, these stem from early MS products for mac, the company which has been systematically forcing everyone to stay in beginner mode. I'm not going to be able to sit someone down in front of LyX and convince them to try it if I have to do a minibuffer instead of a dialog search (unless it's someone accustomed to either emacs or a real editor to start with :). You keep people who ar able to find more efficient ways of doing things (which go into finger memory). Lyx has three major advantages that I see over latex at the moment: 1) You can see your complicated equations, and coherently edit them. 2) Less keystrokes than latex for the same effect (including auto-termination). 3) You can sit down at it with no training. The first is big for new and experienced users; the second keeps experienced users, and the third catches new users. hawk, who would still like the vi interface to lyx :) > Efficiency is not exactly equal to usability. Rather, efficiency is (an > important part) of the whole package > > regards, > john -- Richard E. Hawkins, Asst. Prof. of Economics /"\ ASCII ribbon campaign [EMAIL PROTECTED] Smeal 178 (814) 375-4700 \ / against HTML mail These opinions will not be those of X and postings. Penn State until it pays my retainer. / \
