[R] Point and click

[Michael A. Miller]

>>>>> "Jason" == Jason Turner <jasont at indigoindustrial.co.nz> writes:

    > Cliff Lunneborg wrote:
    >> The following query raises the question: What is it that
    >> students learn from point and click dialogs?"

[...]
    > I will state one thing - the point and click interface
    > *can* teach about the underlying software mechanisms, but
    > it has to be a well thought-out interface.
[...]
    > I did not understand directory structure on the PCs at all.
    > It never clicked.  I simply "parroted" the commands I was
    > taught to use, and managed to stay out of trouble.  "Polly
    > wanna .dwg file."  Then I worked on the Macs.  The display
    > of folders made it clear to me, in about five seconds.  I
    > realised right away what I'd been missing, and flew back
    > into the PC world with a bit more insight.

A counter example: there is a tech here who I've tried to teach
to use R.  He was hired in part because of his computer
expertise.  I told him to make a list of filenames (on a unix
system) with ls and pipe it into a file.  Then, with a text
editor, use that as the basis for a script that processes the
listed files.  He has "programming" experience on his resume, so
I figured this would be no trouble at all.  I was astonished to
find that he did not understand that, when editing the text file,
deleting a filename did not actually delete the file itself.
Everything he knew came from a gui world where "cutting" or
"deleting" meant an operation of the file, so when he saw the
filename, he didn't make a distinction between a text string and
the file itself.

That example helped to show me just how great the separation
between my approach and that of our "expert" windows/mac users
can be.  I came to the conclusion that there is no way for me to
bridge it alone.  If a user has the inclination and ability to
work on both sided, they'll do it and I'll help.  If they don't,
I can't drag them across and will only injure myself if I try.

To bring this back to be somewhat on topic for this list, my
point is that R has a well designed interface.  It may not be all
things to all users, but it is really good for the users that are
willing to learn it.  While there might be some more powerful
interfaces possible with a gui and a mouse (identify and xgobi
for example), there will always be users who aren't willing or
able to look beyond it or learn the details.  The same goes with
the syntax of t.test - some people are able and willing to learn
it and some aren't.

Mike

-- 
Michael A. Miller                               mmiller3 at iupui.edu
  Imaging Sciences, Department of Radiology, IU School of Medicine