Re: Way OT: Adam Smith and Software Markets

["Frank J. Lhota" <NOSPAM.lhota.adarose@verizon.net>]

"Richard Riehle" <richard@adaworks.com> wrote in message
news:3E64D7DE.512CE499@adaworks.com...
> 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.

I will grant you that if all you want is a simple document with no special
headings, formatting or fonts, then many of the newer features of Word
Processors will not help you much. However, I fail to see how today's word
processors are a performance hinderance for this type of document. What
keeps someone from using MS Word or WordPro or WordPerfect to simply begin
typing a manuscript, get it finished, and going on to the next one?

Of course, if your document is any more complex than this, then there is no
comparison between early and current word processors.

> 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.

But haven't we also seen typists who have quickly repositioned the carot by
a mouse click, as opposed to doing a lot of arrow keystrokes?

At any rate, this is a point where we do not need to agree. I find a
pointing device helpful, but you really think that it is slowing you down,
fell free to disconnect your mouse and put it into a drawer until you're
done writing.

> 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."

Yes, but one of the results is that the quality of documents has improved.
Since document writers are also document readers, this seems like a win-win
situation. But if you still prefer WordStar to current word processors, I
imagine you should be able to find a copy of it on the internet.