Re: HR/Payroll Systems

There will never be a GUI based interface to a 10 key pad that works
well. But there shouldn't be. For the instances where you need rapid
data entry, you use an emulator. But more and more, raw numeric data
entry is being supplanted by electronic interfaces like EDI, or using
XML data streams, or web services. It's the right tool for the job. A
10 key calculator does a lousy job of displaying graphs, so don't use
it for that either.

On Jan 11, 2008 8:22 AM, Paul Nelson <nelsonp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

John,

Show me a GUI product (besides newlook) that allows me to do ALL my high
speed data entry functions with the 10 key pad on the right side of the
keyboard, and I'll keep quiet for good. This requirement means that the user
does not need to touch a mouse or the tab key to move from one field to
another. It also requires sub-second response time.

Remember that I come from a time where keypunch machine operators sometimes
were too fast for the equipment they used.

Paul Nelson
Cell 708-670-6978
Office 512-392-2577
nelsonp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John Taylor
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:57 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: HR/Payroll Systems

<SoapBox>
Agreed. We had a preventative maintenance package that our engineers
selected. GUI. We also had one in house. JDE World. Engineers
wanted
the GUI. Why? We need a GUI. What do you need from the GUI?
Crickets
chirp. Tumbleweed passes by. We need a GUI. My guess is that for
most
users about 80% of the functionality of the GUI is either cut/paste or
sizing of windows. Last time I checked a 5250 emulation session does
that quite well. I know there are good GUI's out there but I'm betting
that most people cut/paste and play with their window size.
</SoapBox>

What a GUI gives you that you cannot achieve with 5250 is screen real
estate. There is only so much you can do with an 80 or 132 column display. A
GUI can be designed to be "keyboard friendly" -- that's up to the
programmer. There is nothing a programmer can do to get more than 3168
characters on a 5250 display.

It also provides you with a palette of more than 6 colours to work with,
multiple fonts, sizes, styling, graphics, etc. More information presented on
the screen with good formatting increases user satisfaction and
productivity.

If anyone genuinely cannot grasp the benefits of GUI over character mode, I
suggest that you try a DOS based web browser and email client for a while.
That might lead to an "aha" moment.


Regards,

John Taylor



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