[LINK] literacy (not computer literacy) and GUIs

[Dr. Bob Jansen]

At 10:09 PM +1100 14/11/01, Craig Sanders wrote:
>On Wed, Nov 14, 2001 at 10:40:38AM +1000, Chirgwin, Richard wrote:
>>  In the CLI versus windowing argument, though, I will toss an
>>  incendiary comment in: there seems to be a belief abroad that you're
>>  somehow slacking if you don't want to study computers. "Point and
>>  Click equals illiteracy".
>
>no, it's not absurd...and it's not exactly what i said.
>
>illiterate & semi-literate people *prefer* GUIs because they replace
>complex and confusing words with (allegedly) simple icons.
>
>literate people tend to prefer CLIs because they're comfortable with
>words and appreciate the flexibility that a literate interface gives
>them.

To argue on the basis of literacy, computer or otherwise, is 
insulting and arrogant (it reminds me of the arguments like 'real 
programmers only use Unix', remember that one, or 'only systems that 
use Prolog are real AI systems'). I have been in this industry for 
over 25 years and have used everything from assembler to gui's, 
including cli's. I still maintain that a good gui provides me with 
the most productivity benefit. Thus total cost of ownership is lower. 
And for me it doesn't matter if I'm doing sysdamin work or 
development work.



bobj