#WorkBench for Novices
5 messages in this thread
That message really wasn't necessary. If you don't want to participate in an
intelligent discussion about WorkBench you don't have to.
As far as my intentions, I hope I'm calling attention to what I consider to
be an important deficiency in the Amiga as a computer – the lack of a good
"point and click" user interface. The "tools" to fix workbench are very weak.
I don't have the skill, time, talent, or knowledge to fix it or I would. I
hope someone does.
I also think that people who use a particular computer are often hard pressed
to admit any problems with that computer. Especially when someone's used the
computer for several years – then they are more attached and more blinded to
faults of the computer.
I also am not trying to get Commodore to "approve" WorkBench through me. I
want them to bring WorkBench up to the level of power, sophistication, and
ability that other much more inferior computers already have and have had. If
they don't do it, I hope someone else does.
What intelligent discussion of the WorkBench?
I keep seeing you bellyaching that WorkBench is broken because you can't point
and click to get at files you probably don't need in a workbench envrionment
anyhow. Several others and I have pointed out that utilities do exist that
permit you to do EXACTLY what you say you want to do, but you keep refusing to
either use or condone anyone using them.
Frankly, you are thinking along a single tasking track and refusing to accept
that the WorkBench, as issued, does not have to contain every little thing that
you would like it to do. That is why third party software developers, both
commercial and shareware, can make a good living – supplying those little
things that e WorkBench has been designed to accept and allow you to build
the system into something that satisfies you. WorkBench is *A* program that can
launch its own, or someone else's programs. If you choose to limit your use of
it to what came attached to it by the manufacturer, then it's you who is
loosing. I reiterate, WorkBench is not broken, it is the user who refuses to
use it to its capabilities that is broken.
Why should I have to have icons for every little command in the C directory if
I don't want them? I can move things around to my hearts content with
utilities that ARE launched off the Workbench. I CAN launch a deARC to
wherever I want to put the extracted files, and then stick the files whereever
they need to go FROM A WORKBENCH LAUNCHED UTILITY, if it is my
<continued>
<continuation>
desire to do so. The fact that these utilities are not "blessed" by some
faceless marketing wonder in West Chester does not bother *me* in the least.
I CAN make the WorkBench do what I want it to do, when I want it to do it. I
also have an alternative to use the CLI, which can ALSO be accessed from the
WorkBench, if I so desire.
I never said that you should design a better WorkBench, and no doubt it can be
improved, but I do say that IT CAN GET THE JOB DONE. That is what matters to
me – getting the job done.
WorkBench does not supply me a wordprocessor, either. BUT I can launch
WordPerfect, Excellence, ProWrite, or any number of other FROM THE WORKBENCH.
Should I demand that Commodore issue a WorkBench with a wordprocessor built in?
I think that's kind of silly.
WorkBench does not supply me a terminal program, BUT I can launch Access!,
OnLine!, Whap!, and a host of others FROM THE WORKBENCH. Is WorkBench broken
because it didn't come with a built in terminal program? I don't think so.
Every complaint you have made about the WorkBench so far has a solution, be it
built in or from an outside party. Sometimes, it may take a little effort to
get through to these solutions, but they are available to you. If you choose
not to use them, it isn't WorkBench's fault.
<continued>
<continuation>
To be honest, I could care less what a ST or a MAC has. I don't have either
one. I do have an Amiga, and it has the power to do what I need it to do. I am
hardly "blinded to faults of the computer" – I do have others. There are some
things about the Amiga I would like to have had done differently, but I don't
have them that way, so I have to learn how to use the tools at my command to
get the box to do what I want it to do. For the most part, the Amiga will do
what I need it to do.
I doubt that you will pay any attention at all to what I have written. You
would have to abandon the Gospel According to Henry to do that, and see that
there just might be a few other people around that do not always agree with you
a hundred percent.
Bill, K3OZM
Well let's take this step by step. You say that you are using
workbench-launched utilities to get the job done where WorkBench cannot.
Fine. Unfortunately, the "workbench-launched utilities" are loaded with
their own share of problems, as I've stated earlier. Most allow only 2
directories. Alot butcher the revered "Amiga interface" in the scroll bar
area. I don't know of one that corrects the time/date stamp during copying
problem. I know of a very small number that "move" a file properly. One
of those that does shows 1 directory, not 2. Unacceptable.
The reason I mentioned "other computers" is that this is PAINFULLY
obvious to me after using the ST for so long and being still in touch with
them. Now, you want to compare ST's standard desktop with Amiga and its
enhancements? NOt fair! Bring on the ST's enhancements, like NeoDesk.
Then it really will annihilate the Amiga (as far as visual mouse-oriented
environment).
There is NOT a good utility that I know of. And I'm NOT saying that to
be difficult and I don't require alot out of a good utility. But, again,
put WorkBench and UtiliMaster or Browser together and you've still got a
kludgy, weak environment.
I'm not so sure that I agree with the philosophy that the Amiga WorkBench
leaves things open for 3rd party developers to make a living. That's fine
and sounds good, but things have to be there to a certain point. The
basics, fundamentals have to be there. You should be able to set up your
disks and arrange them any way you want, without resorting to someone
else's kludge utility version ninety nine, or bringing up the CLI.