Re: BARUDA

[jeffr@bnr.ca (Jeffrey Robertson)]

In article <Pine.PMDF.3.91.961113144323.1245943A-100000@oberlin.edu>,
Toby Reiter  <str4552@OBERLIN.EDU> wrote:
>
>One point that could be made Nathan, is that people have differing views 
>about what the web is useful for. [...]
>Therefore, for them (including me) 
>lynx is almost anithetical to the purpose of the WWW. It's all a matter 
>of perspective.

This thread probably ought to move to a WWW group, since it has
stopped having anything to do with Apples, but...

The WWW is a tool.  People put tools to different uses.  There are
several soap operas on the web today.  There are sites which try
to provide avant garde poetry and artwork.  Other sites provide
technical information about products.

The motivation behind a site should drive it's presentation.
When I look for a FAQ, I don't want to be distracted by animated
GIFs.

When I got to a site for a new movie, I expect lots of graphics
and some sound and movie clips, too.  [Actually, I've never gone
to such a site, but that's what I guess I'd expect...]

However, regardless of the purpose, some key facts remain.  Not
everyone has a T1 line to their living room; it takes time to
download pages.  (The designers of those soaps, which rely on
advertisers for money, are keenly aware of this fact.)  You have
to give people what they want (whatever that is) in a timely
fashion.

Another fact: There is often more than one place to get the
information you are seeking.  If you like the style of one place
over another, that's where you'll go.


Toby is right: Lynx is useless for visiting the Smashing Pumpkins
home page.  But it is ideal for searching the Apple DTS site for
Apple II technotes.  "Antiethical" is the wrong concept.  The
correct question is: Is it suited to the task?

On a personal note, I wish I had access to a Lynx browser.  I
dial in to my company's UNIX system from home (ProTERM 3.1 on
my IIgs) and would like to be able to visit some sites, but
I can't.  (They might have Lynx on a firewall machine somewhere;
I haven't really hunted yet.)

Another personal theory:  In much the same way that people learning
a new program appreciate a full GUI, and then start learning
keyboard shortcuts as they get more familiar with it, I think
people who visit a site regularly come to appreciate being able
to get at the content without a lot of delay or clutter.


Finally, in an attempt to ensure I have the last word in this
debate, I exhort you all to take this to a WWW newsgroup.

Cheers,
-- 
-------------------------------------+----------------+-----------------
Jeffrey Robertson                    |  jeffr@bnr.ca  |      BNR, Ottawa
"I speak for myself, not BNR" - Me   +----------------+       (Meriline)
"Verbing weirds language" - Calvin                      OC-48 FiberWorld