[MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 2 Jun 99,, Koster, Raph wrote:
> This whole thread begs the question of whether English-language commands are
> the way to go at all. :) Granted, I am biased as I am currently working in a
> graphical environment. Then again, it's interesting to see what elements are
> made text commands and what elements are made graphical interfaces in the
> various graphical projects too.
> 
> Is it desirable, even in text environments, to have the command interface be
> words?
> 

Not at all.  At least those aren't my desires.  Consider, for the sake of 
argument, that FTP servers are text muds with rather limited command 
sets. There any number of ways to implement client interfaces to FTP.  
Many of these clients resemble those traditional telnet interfaces to 
muds.  That is a blinking command prompt, and the requirement that the 
user type the commands (verbs) followed by parameters 
(nouns/adjectives/adverbs).  There are also many ways to implement 
graphical interfaces to the FTP text mud server.  At the heart of most 
graphical interfaces to text servers is the parsing of server text into 
selectable bounded objects client side.  Once you have selectable bounded 
objects, be they pictures or words, a number of options open up.  For an 
FTP client one can stuff these word objects into list or treeview 
controls and allow the user to select, drag, drop, and otherwise 
manipulate them in ways which may be clumsy to express in text.  There 
are also a number of operations which are much easier to do in the text 
interface.   

Instead of:
  cd  /pub/programs    --> enter vault
  lcd c:\incoming      --> open bag
  binary               --> <adverb?>
  get game.tgz         --> get red ruby into bag 

One:
  Click on local dir tree to set      --> Click on avatar's bag to open
  Click on server dir tree to list    --> Click on vault to list contents
  Select binary radio button             
  Drag game.tgz and drop on local tree --> drag red ruby and drop on bag

I suspect many in this group prefer the command interface over the 
graphical interface and I do too in many cases.  The nice about my FTP 
client is that there is a command line box at the bottom of the screen 
which can be used just like the vanilla text interface.  Maximize the 
command window or dismiss the graphical windows and you can't tell the 
difference.

It seems to me there are better ways to interface to a text mud.
"He who controls the client, controls their virtual universe"
  --with apologies to Frank Herbert :)


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