modern terminals (was: printf, data presentation)

[Stephen J. Friedl]

Doug Gwyn writes:
>
> Fine, if you make it a Teletype model 630.  If an employee isn't worth
> investing $2K for dramatically improved productivity then I feel sorry
> for the employer.

Followed shortly thereafter by Griff Smith:
> 
> I don't think Doug is dreaming; if you're stuck with an old
> 24x80 non-windowed terminal, it's more like a nightmare.

It's time for a reality break.  You guys need to venture out of
your labs and see how The Real World(tm) operates for a change.

Clearly, a windowed terminal will dramatically improve productivity
for many.  You don't have to convince me that a bitmapped
interface is wonderful because I am already in complete agreement
with you.  I want a 630 and will likely get one or two soon.

I don't agree, however, with the implication that character
terminals are generally obsolete: I say you people are either
naive or elitist (or both).  I know it will pain you greatly,
but programmers are *vastly* in the minority in The Real World.

At least two of my customers run applications where the data-
entry operators can input, nearly error-free, on their number
pads for a long time without looking up from their work -- they
simply don't look at the screen.  A recent application uses a
line-oriented printf/fgets loop because the customer insisted
that anything more was overkill.  It turned out he was absolutely
right, and we saved a ton of develoment time and everything runs
more efficiently without the overhead of a fullscreen interface.
"Productive" also means that the machine have a fast response
time.

For these customers, the difference between a $500 Wyse terminal
and the $1500 Blit means the difference between getting twelve
terminals and getting four.  How productive would *you* be if
your terminal was on your officemate's desk?  How about across
the hall?

Does anybody out there seriously think that a Blit at the counter
of a Dept of Motor Vehicles clerk would make him/her any more
productive?  *THREE TIMES* more productive?  Gee, if we gave them
a *Sun* then there would be no more lines, right?

Sorry guys, but all The Real World's not a Blit.

     Steve (working a very nice TeleVideo 9220)

-- 
Stephen J. Friedl        3B2-kind-of-guy            friedl at vsi.com
V-Systems, Inc.        I speak for me only      attmail!vsi!friedl
Santa Ana, CA  USA       +1 714 545 6442    {backbones}!vsi!friedl
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