On 7/17/05, Nicolas Mailhot <Nicolas.Mailhot(a)laposte.net> wrote:
And unfortunately it's a bad distinction.
The real one is repetitive/non repetitive tasks.
Anything repetitive will always be better served by a rigid interface
like a terminal, not something as changing as the GUI.
Just go look at any POS system - you'll never find even such a basic
thing as a mouse cursor. And the people using them have no CS doctorates
(at least most of them)
Are you on crack? There are many POS systems that have 'GUIS" and and
driven by a touch screen interface instead of a "mouse" without
exposing a terminal or a full keyboard.
The existence of a "mouse cursor" is not the definition of a "GUI"
The WaWa convience store sub sandwich ordering interface has no
terminal.. no cmdline..it has no keyboard.. but it certaintly is a
"graphical" "user" "interface".. i see normal people use it
all the
time... the interface even gives you a nice solid sounding "click"
sound when you press a "button" on the touch screen. You can do your
whole sandwich order looking at nothing but the graphical depiction of
each sandwich and condiment.. I could have used one of those marvelous
"graphical interfaces" when i was in Budapest back in the day. No
mouse or mouse cursor because touch screen interfaces that are
designed well can avoid the need a mouse and thus the depiction of a
cursor. But it is a GUI... and it is a form of POS. Additionally Many
of the self-checkout stations in grocery stores in my area also have
"GUI" POS systems that don't expose a commandline or a physical
keyboard or mouse. The have a barcode scanner and a touch screen.. and
a software keyboard to use when the barcode reader fails.
-jef"drowning in hyperbole and over-statement"spaleta