<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing) --> <!--X-From-R13: Uert [vyyre <tzvyyreNpynffvp-tnzrf.pbz> --> <!--X-Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999 16:24:58 -0700 --> <!--X-Message-Id: 3755A17E.77A101D2@classic-games.com --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: 11A17AA2B9EAD111BCEA00A0C9B417930210C332#forest,origin.ea.com --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:gmiller#classic-games,com"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00399.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00401.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00394.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00406.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00400">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00400">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00400">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: Greg Miller <<A HREF="mailto:gmiller#classic-games,com">gmiller#classic-games,com</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 16:26:22 -0500</LI> <LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> <LI><em>Sender</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu">mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu</A></LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> Well, folks, I apologize for jumping in *again* and filling up your inboxes, but this has been such an interesting thread... "Koster, Raph" wrote: > > This whole thread begs the question of whether English-language commands are > the way to go at all. :) Granted, I am biased as I am currently working in a > graphical environment. Then again, it's interesting to see what elements are > made text commands and what elements are made graphical interfaces in the > various graphical projects too. > > Is it desirable, even in text environments, to have the command interface be > words? My opinion at this point is "absolutely not". Based on my contact with users, I think single-letter multipurpose commands are a major improvement, and there might be even better approaches for text interfaces. Most new users would likely prefer to [U]se item [1] instead of "wield sword"... especially since "wield" isn't a word most people will use in a given year. The biggest problem that stops me from using this single-letter approach is that it will result in a highly modal interface, which is a very bad thing for the experienced user, particularly when it comes time to PK fight. You don't want to have to back all the way out of nested menus when someone attacks you. I've even gone so far as to use mud-style commands for my version of Tradewars (<A HREF="http://www.classic-games.com/tw.html">http://www.classic-games.com/tw.html</A>) to avoid modality. -- <A HREF="http://www.classic-games.com/">http://www.classic-games.com/</A> President Clinton was acquitted; then again, so was O. J. Simpson. *** NEWBIES: Limit signatures to four lines! No HTML mail or posts! *** _______________________________________________ MUD-Dev maillist - MUD-Dev#kanga,nu <A HREF="http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev">http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev</A> </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00406" HREF="msg00406.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com></li></ul> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <LI><STRONG><A NAME="00390" HREF="msg00390.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></STRONG> <UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> "Koster, Raph" <rkoster#origin,ea.com></LI></UL></LI> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00399.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Text Parsing</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00401.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Text Parsing</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00394.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00406.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00400"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00400"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] IndustrialMUD</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <LI><strong><A NAME="00439" HREF="msg00439.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] IndustrialMUD</A></strong>, Greg Miller <a href="mailto:gmiller#classic-games,com">gmiller#classic-games,com</a>, Thu 03 Jun 1999, 05:59 GMT </LI> </ul> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00382" HREF="msg00382.html">[MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Cynbe ru Taren <a href="mailto:cynbe#muq,org">cynbe#muq,org</a>, Wed 02 Jun 1999, 10:44 GMT <UL> <li><Possible follow-up(s)><br> <LI><strong><A NAME="00390" HREF="msg00390.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Wed 02 Jun 1999, 14:38 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00394" HREF="msg00394.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Wed 02 Jun 1999, 20:17 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00400" HREF="msg00400.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Greg Miller <a href="mailto:gmiller#classic-games,com">gmiller#classic-games,com</a>, Wed 02 Jun 1999, 23:24 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00406" HREF="msg00406.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Wed 02 Jun 1999, 23:58 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00413" HREF="msg00413.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Greg Miller <a href="mailto:gmiller#classic-games,com">gmiller#classic-games,com</a>, Thu 03 Jun 1999, 01:31 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00435" HREF="msg00435.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Thu 03 Jun 1999, 05:39 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00458" HREF="msg00458.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)</A></strong>, Greg Miller <a href="mailto:gmiller#classic-games,com">gmiller#classic-games,com</a>, Thu 03 Jun 1999, 16:01 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>