GUI necessary?

["Roger Pence" <rp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>But ... I can think of VERY FEW instances where a GUI is necessary ... or
even
>advantageous.


Wow! That's a pretty strong statement. Are you saying that a multi-tasking,
Windowed interface does not add to your productivity? Prior to windowed
desktops (note, the reference to teh generic concept not Gate's cash cow)
the only way you could do more than one thing with the AS/400 was with
multiple terminals or kludgy old group jobs.

The value of GUI is more than simply offering your users checkboxes and
pulldown menus. GUI offers your users an easily switchable context of
applications, launched at their need. Beyond the sexy appeal of GUI, it's
fundamental importance is in letting users control their desktop context. Go
poll the bean counters today using a 5250 emulator and Excel concurrently.
Ask them if they'd like to go back to the days of a PC on desk and a 5250
dumb terminal on the other. Hardly. It doesn't matter that one of the apps
they're using (perhaps the one they're using most) is a green-screen
wannabe. They are in control and can launch the apps of their choice, and
download data to these apps, as needed.

As for GUIs not making good heads down data entry devices, that's a
green-screen myth of the highest order. Have you ever used Quicken? It is
hands down the best data entry I've ever used!

Whew. I feel better. Gotta go back to work.

rp

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