From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,MAILING_LIST_MULTI autolearn=unavailable autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,1ea92c0e5255811d X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2003-03-04 11:03:37 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!easynet-quince!easynet.net!teaser.fr!enst.fr!not-for-mail From: "Robert C. Leif" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: RE: Way OT: Adam Smith and Software Markets Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 11:02:12 -0800 Organization: ENST, France Message-ID: Reply-To: "comp.lang.ada mail to news gateway" NNTP-Posting-Host: marvin.enst.fr Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Trace: avanie.enst.fr 1046804616 30631 137.194.161.2 (4 Mar 2003 19:03:36 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@enst.fr NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 19:03:36 +0000 (UTC) To: "'comp.lang.ada mail to news gateway'" , Return-Path: X-Envelope-From: rleif@rleif.com X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4510 Importance: Normal In-Reply-To: <3E64D7DE.512CE499@adaworks.com> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 X-BeenThere: comp.lang.ada@ada.eu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1 Precedence: list List-Id: comp.lang.ada mail to news gateway List-Unsubscribe: , List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:34869 Date: 2003-03-04T11:02:12-08:00 Richard is correct; the mouse decreases productivity for both word processors and spreadsheets. The three big improvements with Windows = were OLE, common device drivers, and TrueType fonts. Parenthetically, there were 3 products that were clearly superior to = their equivalents in Microsoft Office: FrameWork by Ashton-Tate, Improv by = Lotus, and FrameMaker by Adobe. Of these, only FrameMaker still exists. = Although FrameMaker has the advantages of good numbering, stable paragraph = formats, and image placement, Adobe has made the incredible mistake of basing it = on XML DTDs instead of Schemas. Spreadsheets formulas would become readable = if, as with Improv, the user could create unique names for their columns and rows. This would also permit spreadsheets to serve as tables in compound documents. Bob Leif=20 -----Original Message----- From: Richard Riehle [mailto:richard@adaworks.com]=20 Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 8:44 AM To: comp.lang.ada@ada.eu.org Subject: Re: Way OT: Adam Smith and Software Markets "Frank J. Lhota" wrote: > > Unfortunately, as this points out in yet another way, the classic = Adam > > Smith free market works very poorly for software. > > There is a simple experiment ... > Try out you old word > processor, the one that only worked with fixed pitch fonts, and could = only > render a smooth right edge by periodically inserting extra blanks into your > text. Actually, one can also look at this from the perspective of = productivity. Those early word processors, with their fixed pitch fonts and limited formatting capabilities provided a high level of productivity compared to the more complex word processors of today. One simply began typing a manuscript, got it finished and went on to the next one. One of the worst productivity inhibitors, for word processing, is the mouse. In fact, the mouse detracts from productivity in lots of environments. We have all observed the typist who, upon making a simple error in a line of text, stops, reaches for the mouse, = highlights the error, makes the correction, returns to the keyboard and continues typing. In a word processor without a mouse, that same typist will simply backspace over the character, make the correction and move on. The plethora of available windows also distracts the writer from simply writing. C. Northcote Parkinson, originator of Parkinson's Law, wrote that "Work expands to fill the amount of time available to do it." In the modern world of multiple-option windowing environments, we can rephrase this to, "Work expands to accomodate the number of features available to do it." When we design applications such as an order entry system, we want to limit the availability of windowing options for the clerk engaged in that activity. We want to disable a lot of features, including word processing, unlimited access to the Internet, and games. I see designers who still do not understand this important idea. We need some input from industrial engineering practice so we can understand the nature of productivity once again. Richard Riehle