RE: About usability

[DPawson@xxxxxxxxxxx]

 Didier PH Martin wrote:

>Maybe Lisp is not so bad after all :-) The next time people 
>talk about DSSSL
>and usability just point them to AutoLisp and ask them "why is this
>community is using a lisp based language?", if it is so hard 
>to learn. And
>why non programmers are able to create autolisp scripts ;-)
>

Hi Didier. 
I started using Autocad at version 1.1, it is now at version 14,
costs 3500 UK pounds and is top dog in its own field.

As such, its allowed to have its own quirks :-)
The UI that Autocad presents is 'command line' based,
hence the end user finds him/herself typing such as
line 100 200
I.e. simple parameterised commands.
Eventually one realises that the particular shape I
am using repeatedly can be represented with a fixed sequence
of commands, and demand arises for 'macros'.

Autodesk has moved on to the full GUI with all commands
available from pull down menu options, but the base command
line interface is still highlly effective and popular.

Some years ago I programmed some wood turning shapes,
using C++, which I then fed to autocad as generated script,
using basic trig. No lisp in site, simply a sequence of commands
read into this 'command line' interface from a text file.
(I had never heard of lisp then)

That is the level of flexibility of the tool. A salesmans dream.

There are (IMHO) lots of comparison between DSSSL and 
Autocad. Both do a brilliant job in a specific area and 
both ask the right question...

 How do I use the tool to do it, not
Can the tool do what I want! A fair judge of a tool?

Getting too philosophical :-)
I'll shut up.

Regards, DaveP


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