Re: Agent-mediated access (was Re: Criticism of Kidcode...)

At 12:20 AM 6/24/95, Terje Norderhaug wrote:
>why those that are aware of these issues move away from the "file" metaphor
>on user interfaces and towards a "document" metaphor, where the physical
>storage is abstracted off. Naturally, those that are somewhat more techie
>might have some problems with this, but then again, we aren't exactly J
>Randoms. Except that programming (and even hardware deign) has to do about
>bulding abstractions as well...

The Mac interface is currently very concrete compared to the sea of objects
that tends to get discussed on the technical side. There is a strong sense
of location, containers and place.  The only major exceptiion was the
introduction of aliases, and they do, as you would expect, cause confusion.
Window's on the other hand, with it's file manager and separate program
manager, has confused the concept (I know, it's being fixed in new
versions) with a resulting confusion.

Kee Hinckley      Utopia Inc. - Cyberspace Architects    617/721-6100
nazgul@utopia.com                               http://www.utopia.com/

I'm not sure which upsets me more: that people are so unwilling to accept
responsibility for their own actions, or that they are so eager to regulate
everyone else's.

Received on Monday, 26 June 1995 10:04:01 UTC