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000281_news@columbia.edu _Thu May 4 14:37:09 2000.msg
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From: jrd@cc.usu.edu (Joe Doupnik)
Subject: Re: Type ? or HELP for help.
Message-ID: <tGboKXNWeXPr@cc.usu.edu>
Date: 4 May 00 12:20:57 MDT
Organization: Utah State University
To: kermit.misc@columbia.edu
In article <EsiQ4.48075$fV.2981519@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>, "Itzak Ademic" <itzak.ademic@worldnet.att.net> writes:
> If MSK knows that it's reading from the "real" keyboard,
> rather than taking from a script,
> can it issue the help advice only just before
> the first such "real" read?
> (It knows enough to issue a prompt, right?)
This all seems reasonable (the original query and the followups),
until we look a little harder. The Type ? prompt is there to help the user,
obviously, and it appears before reading the startup files. We simply do
not know what those files may do. They may request user input, for example,
and context sensitive help applies there too. Putting a Type ? message on
top of a scripted menu screen obviously will not be acceptable.
Without meaning to argue a case here I might mention observation
of MSK user behavior over the years. Folks don't seem to catch on that
? for help does just what it says and is useful. After a reminder and an
example they do get the idea. So the reminder is a good thing for them.
Joe D.
> Joe Doupnik wrote in message ...
>>In article <8ej2pn$3dd$1@nnrp1.deja.com>, Peter Easthope
> <peter_easthope@gulfnet.pinc.com> writes:
>>> When MS-DOS Kermit is started with
>>>
>>> msk316 -f script
>>>
>>> it mentions
>>>
>>> Type ? or HELP for help.
>>>
>>> but this is seems inappropriate in script processing.
>>> Can this reminder be shut off?
>>>
>>> Thanks, peter_easthope@gulfnet.pinc.com
>>---------
>> It all depends, as they say. The script need not be a hands-off
>>affair disallowing user input. The most common script is mskermit.ini
>>itself and user interaction is the norm with it. Thus the Type ? message
>>occurs because MSK can't know that no user interaction is desired. I don't
>>think there is an easy solution to this.
>> Joe D.
>