We code with text because it leverages our innate language skills. Words and grammer are how we communicate naturally. Typing in words and numbers transmits an enormous amount of information very quickly, compared to e.g. manipulating graphical controls. We use diagrams for very narrow domains of information, not for general concepts.
If you've got something better in mind, let's see it. I mean, let's see exactly how it is supposed to work. The general idea has been around a long time, but nobody has produced even a design that is compelling.
Typing in words and numbers transmits an enormous amount of information very quickly,
This reminded me of NASA 'Mission Control' used for Apollo.
To eyes used to the movies or video games the consoles look bizarre: there are no graphs, no icons, no _pictures_. All the data came in, and went out, as numbers, or text.
They did it like that because to the engineers on the console the numbers could be grasped more quickly and meant more than a picture.
Communication using numbers instead of pictures is how engineers failed to stop mission control from allowing the Challenger to launch and crash with extremely out-of-spec frozen O-rings.
Good post. Put my money where my mouth is. My replies in this thread all relate to the insights I've gained from a side project I've been picking at for four years now. But the editor is only one part of it which I've barely touched. I'll work on a blog post with illustrations.
If you've got something better in mind, let's see it. I mean, let's see exactly how it is supposed to work. The general idea has been around a long time, but nobody has produced even a design that is compelling.