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From: robertd@ncoast.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: The future of simple BBS boards...
Message-ID: <5808@ncoast.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 25-Nov-87 15:45:43 EST
Article-I.D.: ncoast.5808
Posted: Wed Nov 25 15:45:43 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Nov-87 04:23:45 EST
References: <4942@ncoast.UUCP> <246@usl-pc.UUCP> <339@ddsw1.UUCP> <373@usl-pc.UUCP>
Organization: Cleveland Public Access UN*X, Cleveland, OH
Lines: 44
Keywords: BBS network future software complex
Summary: Screen editors

In article <373@usl-pc.UUCP>, jpdres10@usl-pc.UUCP (Green Eric Lee) writes:
> In message <575@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM>, rogers@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM (Bob Rogers) says:
> >
> >The "Citadel" BBS system has preserved a simple user interface and incorporates
> >networking.  
> 
> I've never seen "Citadel" myself. Would appreciate it if you sent me a
> couple of phone numbers. However, I DO have an example of where modern
> technology makes a BBS easier to use:
> 
> Consider a full-screen text editor. This full screen text editor has 6
> commands: cursor movement in all 4 directions, delete a character, and
> justify the current paragraph.
  (I also assume an Insert Function)
> I submit that this text editor would be as powerful as any other
> simple BBS text editor available, even the C-NET editor which has
> about 60 jillion commands doing all sorts of weird and wonderful
> things. Yet, it'd be ten times easier to use.
> 
> User interfaces are the solution to the problem of complexity. Alas,
> we cannot yet assume that everybody out there has access to a
> bit-mapped display, so BBS's aren't going to be running mouse-and-icon
> based software anytime soon. However, we CAN assume that either a)
> everybody has a terminal emulator, or b), everybody can get one real
> easy, perhaps by a pre-login mode that lets people download one
> without login in. I mean, if I can get a VT100 emulator with Kermit
> for the lowly Commodore 64, I can't even imagine some computer that
> doesn't have an emulator available for it (except maybe the Sinclair
> ZX81 :-).

    How about the TRS-80 Model 100 portable computer? It has an 8x40 screen
display and uses a wierd set of escape codes for the vt52.

    I never believe in assuming anything. I have many programs available to me
that I just can't use because it assumes I have a 25x80 screen.

    I screen editor must take these in account. Not just what escape codes to
use.

		[> Rd
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