3 ms·

GUIs are using pictures to convey meaning and action. A picture is worth 1000 words. Why use 1000 words to do something when one or two will do?

by bregma 6y ago

thesuperbigfrog 6y ago
= Master Foo Discourses on the Graphical User Interface = One evening, Master Foo and Nubi attended a gathering of programmers who had met to learn from each other. One of the programmers asked Nubi to what school he and his master belonged. Upon being told they were followers of the Great Way of Unix, the programmer grew scornful. “The command-line tools of Unix are crude and backward,” he scoffed. “Modern, properly designed operating systems do everything through a graphical user interface.” Master Foo said nothing, but pointed at the moon. A nearby dog began to bark at the master's hand. “I don't understand you!” said the programmer. Master Foo remained silent, and pointed at an image of the Buddha. Then he pointed at a window. “What are you trying to tell me?” asked the programmer. Master Foo pointed at the programmer's head. Then he pointed at a rock. “Why can't you make yourself clear?” demanded the programmer. Master Foo frowned thoughtfully, tapped the programmer twice on the nose, and dropped him in a nearby trashcan. As the programmer was attempting to extricate himself from the garbage, the dog wandered over and piddled on him. At that moment, the programmer achieved enlightenment. Source: http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/unix-koans/gui-programmer.html http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/unix-koans/gui-programmer....
- lostmsu 6y ago
  ls -al rm -r. /* git checkout -b thisIsFine Couldn't give you a sed or awk example, because, fortunately, did not have to learn either yet.
  - NateEag 6y ago
    The fact that some CLIs have terrible UX does not invalidate the idea of CLIs.
    - lostmsu 6y ago
      It does invalidate the parable though.
      - NateEag 6y ago
        How so? I read the parable as being about the infinite number of ways icons and GUIs can be interpreted, thus making their inherent discoverability and clarity low. I don't see how listing CLI commands with terrible UX invalidates that point.
        lostmsu 6y ago
        Because there's really no difference between terrible command line argument names and terrible icons for the same commands.
        NateEag 6y ago
        That may be true, but I think the parable is about well-chosen cases, not the bad ones. Icons don't have an intrinsic meaning the way words do, so some percentage of people will find brand-new interpretations for icons, to a larger extent than will happen with words. That was my interpretation, at least.
        lostmsu 6y ago
        > Icons don't have an intrinsic meaning the way words do This is completely backwards. Icons can have intrinsic meanings - they can literally depict an object or an action from the real world. Words are pure abstracts humans made up, and can not exist outside of the context.

GUIs are using pictures to convey meaning and action. A picture is worth 1000 words. Why use 1000 words to do something when one or two will do?

by bregma 6y ago

GUIs are using pictures to convey meaning and action. A picture is worth 1000 words. Why use 1000 words to do something when one or two will do?

thesuperbigfrog 6y ago

= Master Foo Discourses on the Graphical User Interface = One evening, Master Foo and Nubi attended a gathering of programmers who had met to learn from each other. One of the programmers asked Nubi to what school he and his master belonged. Upon being told they were followers of the Great Way of Unix, the programmer grew scornful. “The command-line tools of Unix are crude and backward,” he scoffed. “Modern, properly designed operating systems do everything through a graphical user interface.” Master Foo said nothing, but pointed at the moon. A nearby dog began to bark at the master's hand. “I don't understand you!” said the programmer. Master Foo remained silent, and pointed at an image of the Buddha. Then he pointed at a window. “What are you trying to tell me?” asked the programmer. Master Foo pointed at the programmer's head. Then he pointed at a rock. “Why can't you make yourself clear?” demanded the programmer. Master Foo frowned thoughtfully, tapped the programmer twice on the nose, and dropped him in a nearby trashcan. As the programmer was attempting to extricate himself from the garbage, the dog wandered over and piddled on him. At that moment, the programmer achieved enlightenment. Source: http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/unix-koans/gui-programmer.html http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/unix-koans/gui-programmer....

lostmsu 6y ago
ls -al rm -r. /* git checkout -b thisIsFine Couldn't give you a sed or awk example, because, fortunately, did not have to learn either yet.
- NateEag 6y ago
  The fact that some CLIs have terrible UX does not invalidate the idea of CLIs.
  - lostmsu 6y ago
    It does invalidate the parable though.
    - NateEag 6y ago
      How so? I read the parable as being about the infinite number of ways icons and GUIs can be interpreted, thus making their inherent discoverability and clarity low. I don't see how listing CLI commands with terrible UX invalidates that point.
      - lostmsu 6y ago
        Because there's really no difference between terrible command line argument names and terrible icons for the same commands.
        NateEag 6y ago
        That may be true, but I think the parable is about well-chosen cases, not the bad ones. Icons don't have an intrinsic meaning the way words do, so some percentage of people will find brand-new interpretations for icons, to a larger extent than will happen with words. That was my interpretation, at least.
        lostmsu 6y ago
        > Icons don't have an intrinsic meaning the way words do This is completely backwards. Icons can have intrinsic meanings - they can literally depict an object or an action from the real world. Words are pure abstracts humans made up, and can not exist outside of the context.