Debian Updates

[Byron Q. Desnoyers Winmill]

On Wed, 26 Nov 2003, Keith Mastin wrote:
> We are not talking about user interfaces here, we are talking about
> server configurations. The 2 are distinct as apples and oranges.

The structure of the configuration file is not an interface?  Your
favourite text editor is not an interface?  Your favourite shell is not
an interface?  Any form of interaction with the computer involves an
interface.  It's just that some interfaces work at a lower level than
others.

> I will admit that maybe you have a point if you can show me a gui that can
> configure _every_ aspect of a program to the same degree of certainty that
> the command line can.

I could imagine such an interface for cron, and have seen such an
interface for wwwoffle (though it is less than friendly at some points).
Seeming as you brought up the command line, which I usually treat as
distinct from configuration files, I can also point to Commando under
MPW.

Even if the GUI provided a simple forms based interface, it would be
better than digging out a text editor.  This is because the program can
create a structured configuration process, and this structured process
would allow it to detect errors in a more meaningful manner.  Like it or
not, most of us don't have perfect fingers or perfect memories.

Byron.
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