"Jon S. Berndt" wrote:
> 
> Remco de Korte wrote:
> >
> > I think there is a misunderstanding here. Saying one OS is a standard doesn't
> > imply another to be inferior, does it?
> > The obvious comparison is video where there were a couple if systems that were
> > generally considered to be superior but still VHS became the standard.
> 
> I think we may be referring to "Standard" with different intentions. I propose
> this: Windows is not a standard per se, but it uses many standards that others,
> and Microsoft, have created or are trying to create (and in some cases have been
> pushed upon us).
> 
> The study of human factors and GUI design have been driven jointly by the
> capabilities that an OS can give us, the way people interact with information,
> human factors specialists who study how we process information, real-world
> analogs like lists, buttons, etc. In my recollection, Xerox, Macintosh - perhaps
> even Amiga - had a say in the development of this new area. When Windows came
> around a lot of these ideas had been in place already. Without some research,
> it's hard to say who contributed what to the still-evolving concensus of what
> makes the best GUI, but there are definite standards that have evolved, and you
> can see the similarities in the way things work between Gnome, KDE, MS-Windows,
> Macintosh, IRIX, Amiga, etc. And when the WWW began rising to prominence and
> Netscape was dominant, Microsoft was caught sleeping, but look at the standards
> that have emerged from that which have become part of the way we interact with
> computers - Microsoft had very little to do with "innovation" there, although
> they tried to foist various things upon us and tried to hijack Java. They have
> followed the lead of the industry in this case. Arguably, OpenGL has become the
> standard in 3D graphics APIs, and MIcrosoft has used this.
> 

Your choice of words already indicates a certain opinion (I don't even know what
foist is but it doesn't sound very appreciative, I do know what hijack is). I
don't think Microsoft can claim to be inventors or developers of the GUI
standard (if there is one), neither can Apple or any other single company. Some
may have come up with the seeds but GUIs are constantly developing as is the
interface hardware.
Strange thing is that it seems that there's much more then the GUI in Windows or
any other OS. Also, since it's obviously not very hard to emulate a GUI it's of
little importance as to whether any OS is a standard or not.
Besides that there is also a difference in context which confuses the
discussion. I don't think a lot of people would argue about Mac being the
standard in computer aided graphic design. That's probably because most
designers use a Mac. There will probably be similar standards in other fields
(webservers, industrial applications, science, personal use etc.). 

> So, we have to be careful in making sure we all understand what is meant by
> saying something or other is the standard.
> 
> > BTW, shouldn't this discussion be in OT? (where I wouldn't read it...)
> 
> Yes, it foes, but I wouldn't read it there
> either and this is kind of fun ;-)
> 
Yes, it seems to be. 8)
As long as it doesn't turn into another religious war.

> --
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Jon S. Berndt
> League City, Texas
> jsb### [at] hal-pcorg
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------

Remco
Oude Tonge

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