I don't think I'm missing the point. I took some time thinking before writing this, and I conscienciously shoehorned the two problems into one. Text streams are simple and 1 dimensioned -- the pipe is a great tool to leverage that fact, and still works. This is why UNIX is still mostly text-oriented: because it works better that way. As soon as n-dimensional datastreams (or n-layer), then you have a problem using a pipe -- you need different ways of connecting different components, depending on what kind of data/events they expect... With text, you KNOW what to expect. The WIMP is not "cramping my style" -- it's just that there are more and more applications that REQUIRE a GUI, or that are badly designed into using one -- omitting keyboard shortcuts, etc... A good example is the browser syndrome, where keyboard shortcuts are a no-go in most cases -- GUI systems like Motif, GTK, or even Win32, are well thought out. But remember, the original goal of GUIs was to facilitate _data representation_, i.e.: make it more easily assimilable by the person, NOT easier input. In the case of applications like CAD, graphics design, etc... a pointer-style input device makes sense -- but we NEED to solve the Repetitive Strain problem (see the related post here in the comments regarding Gross/Fine movements, and which muscles are involved). I am glad that at least one person here noticed that I was pushing both issues at the same time.
How do I do it ? I research this stuff right now because my wrists, forearms and shoulders are killing me. Why is the current input device tandem mouse-keyboard not like that of a car ? Because in a car, it's the car itself (or its running into a lamppost) that will put you in a wheelchair, not the steering wheel or the gearshift. In the case of the computer, all it does is make you lose your ability to have a social life and get laid -- but the keyboard and the mouse will put you out of a job, and hurting when you brush your teeth.
Why would you use a public forum, thus an easy
target, to call for help ?
And Slashdot would be very promptly pressured into removing anything that it was told to (i.e.: the Scientology documents, DeCSS,...).
1) Massive migration of asylum-seeking US citizens to Cuba ?
2) Time to start the Foundation, as Asimov saw it. Don't need to go light years away. Just put it in Europe were we still have, umm, political responsibility. Wait for the collapse of American civilization, then restart. One large CVS should do.
It's been 2 years, and not many people seem to have read Schneier's excellent "Street Performer Protocol". Read it at http://www.counterpane.com/street_performer.html
IMHO, things won't change until it is realized that the Internet is a pipe between users, and nothing more. At that point, we can start focusing on HUMAN protocols to agree how to pay artists (where recording companies can't get their greedy little fingers in) -- Schneier's suggestion is a step in the right direction. Until then, it's pointless. Unless we want to start a war on user control and the right for consumers to dispose as they like of the devices that are placed in their hands -- and this includes applications running on their computers, their DVD drivers, and any other form of doomed user-side content control.
Slashdot Mirror
http://www.sfu.ca/~hjohnson/osxnisnfs.html
That would be OpenBSD's slogan.
I don't think I'm missing the point. I took some time thinking before writing this, and I conscienciously shoehorned the two problems into one. Text streams are simple and 1 dimensioned -- the pipe is a great tool to leverage that fact, and still works. This is why UNIX is still mostly text-oriented: because it works better that way. As soon as n-dimensional datastreams (or n-layer), then you have a problem using a pipe -- you need different ways of connecting different components, depending on what kind of data/events they expect... With text, you KNOW what to expect. The WIMP is not "cramping my style" -- it's just that there are more and more applications that REQUIRE a GUI, or that are badly designed into using one -- omitting keyboard shortcuts, etc... A good example is the browser syndrome, where keyboard shortcuts are a no-go in most cases -- GUI systems like Motif, GTK, or even Win32, are well thought out. But remember, the original goal of GUIs was to facilitate _data representation_, i.e.: make it more easily assimilable by the person, NOT easier input. In the case of applications like CAD, graphics design, etc... a pointer-style input device makes sense -- but we NEED to solve the Repetitive Strain problem (see the related post here in the comments regarding Gross/Fine movements, and which muscles are involved). I am glad that at least one person here noticed that I was pushing both issues at the same time.
How do I do it ? I research this stuff right now because my wrists, forearms and shoulders are killing me. Why is the current input device tandem mouse-keyboard not like that of a car ? Because in a car, it's the car itself (or its running into a lamppost) that will put you in a wheelchair, not the steering wheel or the gearshift. In the case of the computer, all it does is make you lose your ability to have a social life and get laid -- but the keyboard and the mouse will put you out of a job, and hurting when you brush your teeth.
Why would you use a public forum, thus an easy target, to call for help ? And Slashdot would be very promptly pressured into removing anything that it was told to (i.e.: the Scientology documents, DeCSS, ...).
1) Massive migration of asylum-seeking US citizens to Cuba ? 2) Time to start the Foundation, as Asimov saw it. Don't need to go light years away. Just put it in Europe were we still have, umm, political responsibility. Wait for the collapse of American civilization, then restart. One large CVS should do.
Well, I can circumvent the control by trading the file directly with other peers. SSH and voila.
It's been 2 years, and not many people seem to have read Schneier's excellent "Street Performer Protocol". Read it at http://www.counterpane.com/street_performer.html IMHO, things won't change until it is realized that the Internet is a pipe between users, and nothing more. At that point, we can start focusing on HUMAN protocols to agree how to pay artists (where recording companies can't get their greedy little fingers in) -- Schneier's suggestion is a step in the right direction. Until then, it's pointless. Unless we want to start a war on user control and the right for consumers to dispose as they like of the devices that are placed in their hands -- and this includes applications running on their computers, their DVD drivers, and any other form of doomed user-side content control.