GUI vs green-screen (was Re: Patrick Meader's commentary in April VBPJ)

Well, I have to agree with you there. I've been in this situation many times
- the situation where heads-down data entry is involved. And yes, a slick
GUI does not meet EVERY need in computing, much the same way green-screen
apps didn't either.

However, I can't say I'll ever go back to DOS. I'm finding that a lot of
data entry is being done in GUI (with simple entry fields) and the aid of
barcode scanners. Another big hit seems to be touch screen GUI apps (assuming
the system doesn't require major amounts of typing). Most restaraunts seem
to be using this format now.

-Rob


"Tim Romano" <tim_romano@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Rob,
>The app you describe sounds very slick. But the hypothetical questions you
>raise might get answers others than those you'd expect. I used to develop
>multi-user applications in a database-oriented operating system called PICK.
>It existed in many flavors created by licensees, much like unix, but all
of
>them supported basic "vanilla" PICK standards while extending the
>functionality. I could develop the app on a laptop and run it, unchanged,
>on an IBM mainframe, or on a 386 used as a host (a 386 supported 16
>concurrent users with 8MB RAM!), or on various minicomputers. Sometimes
I
>did not even need to recompile, and could ship object code. These systems
>were great for "heads-down" data-entry because one could control cursor
>location and the flow. GUIs, by nature, are not for "heads down" data
>entry; the assumption is that the user will be looking at the screen, and
>that the user will be multi-tasking. Moreover, GUI applications tend to
>assume that the data already exists; the GUI application is a window onto
>the data, for viewing and manipulating the data. That's why many order
>entry systems, even those used by software mailorder companies specializing
>in ActiveX components, are DOS-based character mode applications! ;-)
>
>In many respects, I am happy not to be developing green-screen apps, but
I
>do miss the data-entry productivity, the simplicity of deployment, the
>stability, and the cross-platform compatibility.
>Tim Romano
>
>

"Wine is still under development, and is not suitable for general use."
;-)
-- from the web page


"Joe "Nuke Me Xemu" Foster" <joe@bftsi0.UUCP> wrote in message
news:3ab2e4c5@news.devx.com...
> "Tim Romano" <tim_romano@yahoo.com> wrote in message
<news:3ab2d15e@news.devx.com>...
>
> > did not even need to recompile, and could ship object code. These
systems
> > were great for "heads-down" data-entry because one could control cursor
> > location and the flow. GUIs, by nature, are not for "heads down" data
> > entry; the assumption is that the user will be looking at the screen,
and
> > that the user will be multi-tasking. Moreover, GUI applications tend to
> > assume that the data already exists; the GUI application is a window
onto
> > the data, for viewing and manipulating the data. That's why many
order
> > entry systems, even those used by software mailorder companies
specializing
> > in ActiveX components, are DOS-based character mode applications! ;-)
>
> Hey, I watch the tab orders and try to provide easy keyboard equivalents
> for everything! So what if my apps end up looking a bit plain as a result?
>
> > In many respects, I am happy not to be developing green-screen apps, but
I
> > do miss the data-entry productivity, the simplicity of deployment, the
> > stability, and the cross-platform compatibility.
>
> Yeah, whatever happened to WABI and Wine anyway? http://www.winehq.com/
> I wonder if Wine will run the CLR.
>
> --
> Joe Foster <mailto:jfoster@ricochet.net> Space Cooties!
<http://www.xenu.net/>
> WARNING: I cannot be held responsible for the above They're
coming to
> because my cats have apparently learned to type. take me away,
ha ha!
>
>

I was writing document cataloging applications for law firms, time-billing
systems, and claims management systems, all of which required immense
amounts of typing. Telemarketing companies (the people who phone you at
dinner time) use character-mode applications because productivity is a
critical competitive issue for them. If we could only get these companies to
use Windows 98! Or better yet, dictation software, so they'd have to
repeat, several times, everything that was said to them. That'd slow them
down.

Tim Romano
".NET -- for dinnertime peace"


"Rob Teixeira" <RobTeixeira@@msn.com> wrote in message
news:3ab2e8bf$1@news.devx.com...
>
> Well, I have to agree with you there. I've been in this situation many
times
> - the situation where heads-down data entry is involved. And yes, a slick
> GUI does not meet EVERY need in computing, much the same way green-screen
> apps didn't either.
>
> However, I can't say I'll ever go back to DOS. I'm finding that a lot of
> data entry is being done in GUI (with simple entry fields) and the aid of
> barcode scanners. Another big hit seems to be touch screen GUI apps
(assuming
> the system doesn't require major amounts of typing). Most restaraunts seem
> to be using this format now.
>
> -Rob
>
>
> "Tim Romano" <tim_romano@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >Rob,
> >The app you describe sounds very slick. But the hypothetical questions
you
> >raise might get answers others than those you'd expect. I used to develop
> >multi-user applications in a database-oriented operating system called
PICK.
> >It existed in many flavors created by licensees, much like unix, but all
> of
> >them supported basic "vanilla" PICK standards while extending the
> >functionality. I could develop the app on a laptop and run it,
unchanged,
> >on an IBM mainframe, or on a 386 used as a host (a 386 supported 16
> >concurrent users with 8MB RAM!), or on various minicomputers. Sometimes
> I
> >did not even need to recompile, and could ship object code. These systems
> >were great for "heads-down" data-entry because one could control cursor
> >location and the flow. GUIs, by nature, are not for "heads down" data
> >entry; the assumption is that the user will be looking at the screen, and
> >that the user will be multi-tasking. Moreover, GUI applications tend to
> >assume that the data already exists; the GUI application is a window
onto
> >the data, for viewing and manipulating the data. That's why many order
> >entry systems, even those used by software mailorder companies
specializing
> >in ActiveX components, are DOS-based character mode applications! ;-)
> >
> >In many respects, I am happy not to be developing green-screen apps, but
> I
> >do miss the data-entry productivity, the simplicity of deployment, the
> >stability, and the cross-platform compatibility.
> >Tim Romano
> >
> >
>

On 16 Mar 2001 20:31:59 -0800, "Rob Teixeira" <RobTeixeira@@msn.com>
wrote:

>barcode scanners. Another big hit seems to be touch screen GUI apps (assuming
>the system doesn't require major amounts of typing). Most restaraunts seem
>to be using this format now.

We're using barcode scanners a lot. It speeds up data processing no
end. And the touch screens are much more hygenic than keyboards
stuffed with yesterday's food residues.

MM