[1] From: Jim Marchand <marchand@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> (15)
Subject: esthetics
I failed to mention that the word `intuitive' is often used for
`(a)esthetically satisfying'. There are GUI freaks among us, who love to
use icons and the like to enter their commands. I, on the other hand, am a
Command Line Freak and like to boss the computer around. This religious
difference is larger than that between those who are fond of various
`platforms', e.g. DOS, WINDOWS, MAC, PC, UNIX, etc. All my GUI friends
assure me that the use of a rodent with attendant mouse elbow is
`intuitive', whereas use of words is not, not to mention the use of function
keys, sometimes labeled as cavemannish. `Look and feel', `intuitive',
`ergonomically satisfying', `elegant' are all used for `aesthetically
pleasing'. I forgot also to mention `structural programming', `up/down
programming' and all the others. Since aesthetics, whatever it is, is
important to human beings, those involved in the man-machine dialogue ought
to think about it.
Jim Marchand.