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Re: The minibuffer vs. Dialog Boxes (Re: Making XEmacs be more up-to-dat


From: Miles Bader
Subject: Re: The minibuffer vs. Dialog Boxes (Re: Making XEmacs be more up-to-date)
Date: 21 Apr 2002 12:46:16 +0900

Michael Toomim <address@hidden> writes:
> As was discussed in previous posts, the point isn't to force a new UI
> onto old users, but to provide it as an option -- either a run-time
> option or a branch.
> Old users will have the same interface they
> always had, unless the decide to try out the new UI.

Changing such basic terms as `buffer' seems like it could only be done
optionally if it were done at a very superficial level -- e.g., only
menu entries and prompts.

However, this would make things _more_ confusing for users who decide
to move beyond the menus, and try to learn more about emacs' more
advanced features.  For instance, the menu might say `Switch to Document',n
but if they tried out M-x, they'd have to type `Mx-x switch-to-buffer'.

One of emacs' great strengths (in my opinion) is the ease with which you
can move from simple tasks to more advanced ones -- not because there's
a super-easy GUI, but because you can make this move in very small steps
(use menus -> use keybindings -> use M-x -> write simple lisp
expressions to bind keys -> write simple lisp functions -> write
operating systems...).

Any change that makes this appreciably harder seems like a Very Bad Idea.

-Miles
-- 
o The existentialist, not having a pillow, goes everywhere with the book by
  Sullivan, _I am going to spit on your graves_.



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