Xref: utzoo comp.arch:4727 comp.lang.misc:1574 Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!ncar!gatech!bloom-beacon!mcgill-vision!mouse From: mouse@mcgill-vision.UUCP (der Mouse) Newsgroups: comp.arch,comp.lang.misc Subject: Re: Universal OS (striving for flexibility) Message-ID: <1090@mcgill-vision.UUCP> Date: 9 May 88 23:39:34 GMT References: <769@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU> <76700017@uiucdcsp> <843@actnyc.UUCP> <4624@ihlpf.ATT.COM> Organization: McGill University, Montreal Lines: 25 In article <4624@ihlpf.ATT.COM>, nevin1@ihlpf.ATT.COM (00704a-Liber) writes: > A universal OS (as well as a universal programming language), > assuming that one exists, must be simple and intuitive to use. I, as > the user, should never have to look at a manual or go to a help > screen. Unfortunately, what is simple and intuitive to one person isn't to another. > [...] if I am looking at someone else's work it should, to me, look > like my own. I don't expect this any sooner than I expect Turing-capable AI programs. Style is too many things, including things too subtle to easily change. What you are asking for, in essence, is something that looks at (say) a program, deduces what it does (as distinct from how it does it), and re-does the same thing the way you would have done it. Among other things, this implies that it's at least as intelligent as you are. Now this may be possible in some cases (seeing some of the software coming over the net), but it surely is not possible for all people. der Mouse uucp: mouse@mcgill-vision.uucp arpa: mouse@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu