Re: GUI necessary? -- MIDRANGE-L

Roger,

>Wow! That's a pretty strong statement. Are you saying that a multi-tasking,
>Windowed interface does not add to your productivity? 

Don't confuse multi-tasking vs windows vs graphical user interface.
They are three separate issues, even if Windoze happens to use all
three.  Don's comment was about GUI, and should not automatically be
extended to say multitasking and/or windows are rarely advantageous.

Prior to Windoze, the PC's had early TSR's like Sidekick, which some
people thought of as being like multi-tasking.  Then you had the task
switchers like Deskview (or TopDesk or whatever it was called) then
the DosShell task switcher. (Another MS "innovation".)

Likewise, applications written using something like Foxpro for DOS
have windows and modeless user control of navigating the application.
In fact, it has most of the advantages a WIMP-y user expects (windows,
icons, menus, and pointer).

Neither case is really GUI.  Three separate issues; four if you count
modeless vs modal processing.  GUI gives you stuff like multiple
fonts, images and graphs, pictoral icons, etc that you cannot get from
a Pa-TUI (Pathetic Text User Interface).  GUI enables the WYSIWYG word
processor instead of DisplayWrite or WordPerfect/DOS.

>the only way you could do more than one thing with the AS/400 was with
>multiple terminals or kludgy old group jobs.

Or multi-session terminals, which for most users, is much better than
multiple terminals.  For some users, the ability to "multi-task" by
switching sessions is sufficient, even without copy and paste.

> GUI offers your users an easily switchable context of
>applications, launched at their need. 

That's not really GUI.  That is multi-tasking, and modeless vs modal
application design.

>Ask them if they'd like to go back to the days of a PC on desk and a 5250
>dumb terminal on the other. Hardly. 

Again, that is not GUI.  That was the advent of emulation, when the
bean counters could Alt+Esc between the S/3x and Lotus 1-2-3 (unless
of course they were still using VisiCalc or SuperCalc).

>They are in control and can launch the apps of their choice, and
>download data to these apps, as needed.

You still haven't advanced an argument for GUI.  (But just try doing a
photo editor in text mode. <g>)

>As for GUIs not making good heads down data entry devices, that's a
>green-screen myth of the highest order. Have you ever used Quicken? It is
>hands down the best data entry I've ever used!

OK, now I have to start agreeing with you.  In large part the myth is
caused by the fact that it seems like most Windoze applications are
written by developers who don't understand heads down entry or take
into consideration keyboard users.  I hate it when Windows apps don't
have a logical z-order (tab progression) to their controls.  Or when
they don't make user of accelerator keys and mneumonics.

Quicken gets much of it benefit from keystroke sensitive logic, like
auto-fill, +/- and other hotkeys, etc.  Like you, I love it.

*IF* the hardware requirements for application timeslice and WS
controller were not an issue, then I think there is no question but
that keystroke sensitive logic can improve even heads down data entry.

But that is not reality in the AS/400 world unless you use
client/server to move the user interface to an intelligent workstation
where you can dedicate processor power to assisting the user.

There is nothing about a *well designed* WIMP-y and/or GUI application
which is inherently slower for a heads down data entry person, *if*
the hardware can keep up with the user.  In fact, I think it is just
the opposite.  If well designed, it is the heads down type experienced
user who will take better advantage of keyboard shortcuts which are so
easy to implement in that environment.  Best of both worlds.

That being said, while I like GUI and WIMP-y interfaces, I still feel
that the cost (hardware and developer time) doesn't justify the
difference over Pa-TUI design for real world line of business
applications on the AS/400 as we know it today.  But today's WS
controllers already give us much better functionality then the
original controllers, and advances in software design tools may
someday change that equation and justify GUI over Pa-TUI.

Doug
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