Highway Musophobia Revisited [was: Speeding up Emacs load time]

[Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com>]

> I think the mouse is a killer. It is not productive, it is not
> ergonomic.

Any pointer device, and a mouse is one (among other things it can
be), has this feature: you look at something, anywhere, you point
to it to do something with it or to it.  End of story.

Nothing beats that eye-hand direct-manipulation thing for what it
offers.  Neither text completion/search nor a command/key to go
directly to the thing by name, number, description, whatever.  Nada.

When you want to do something interactively with or to a particular
pixel you see somewhere, you typically do not want to refer to it
by name or number.  You want to point to it directly.  QED.  CQFD.

This should have been clear to everyone since their first experience
with a pointer device, typically their index finger.  But some will
never get it, it seems.  Never.

"Gimme that.  That over there.  Two feet from the door, on the right,
four feet up, against the wall.  No, just to the left of that thing
... three objects over.  No, the blue one.  That's it.  Thanks."

Of course, if all you know is a hammer (or a mouse, for that matter)
then everything looks like a nail.  Keyboard keys are great for what
they offer.  A pointer device is better for, uh, ... pointing.
That's all.

Next time, try picking your nose using a keyboard.  (Might make an
interesting GSOC project...)