[GRASS5] A naive opinion on how grass *should* work

[Russell Nelson]

Helena Mitasova writes:
 > The ease of use of GRASS is really a matter of a good GUI

I don't think so.  Please read my essay "Recollection vs. Recognition" 
at http://www.advogato.org/article/100.html

 > Most of your problems aren't really problems and are just a matter
 > of creating a better startup for first timers - that could be done
 > in a week or two.

Exactly what I'm suggesting.

 > >  > Yes; the default region is explicitly chosen by the user. Same for the
 > >  > current region. The only time that the current region is changed is if
 > >  > the user decides to change it.
 > >
 > > That is how it currently works.  I am asking you to change it.
 > 
 > I am not sure that anybody who has been using GRASS would agree
 > with you on this one.  For analysis and modeling the concept of
 > region as it is now makes a lot of work more efficient.

No, no, I'm not saying that having a default region is bad.  I'm
saying that it's bad to force a first-time user to set the region,
without any knowledge or experience or teaching on which to base their 
decision.

Very simply: If I can run grass, and a program says "run g.region
first", I can at very least say "g.help g.region".  If I can't even
get into grass, I'm HOSED.

 > The point is that if you want to do anything beyond looking at the
 > maps you need to know what you are doing. If you want just to look
 > at maps, you are looking at the wrong software.

But how am I going to find out what I'm doing unless I can start doing 
things?  Remember, a user who cannot set the region is *locked out* of
grass.  They are stopped dead in the water.

-- 
-russ nelson              http://russnelson.com | Okay, enough is enough!
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