Improving dt's UI

[David Wolever]

On 25-Jun-08, at 12:08 PM, Ivan Glushkov wrote:
> I suppose it can be made without removing our current functionality.
> We should just add new level of abstraction "choosing version from a
> list". And have two implementation of that new level, choosing the
> needed one from configuration.
> ...
> Also i propose to use some sort of comment in $EDITOR.
> For example, you could get the following, when running ./dt new
> Added-by: gli
> Category: dt/dt -- dt/dt, dt/ui, dt/tools
> Reported-for: 0.3  -- 0.3, 0.4, 0.5
> Due-in: 0.4 -- 0.3, 0.4, 0.5
Ah, nice, I like that interface even better than the X-Default...  
headers I had.

> ...
> David, do i correctly understand your proposition?
Yup, Ivan, I think you've got it exactly.

The only thing that strikes me as not working very well about your  
proposal is having two separate interfaces. I generally get a little  
bit worried when configuration gets involved with such a basic option  
-- first because most people use the default configuration (eg http:// 
www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000290.html and the problems I had  
because, by default `dt act` was interactive instead of demanding  
command line options) and second because that means more code to  
maintain.

I think a middle ground can be found which will make everyone happy  
(those who like $EDITOR and those who like interactive prompts)  
without resorting to two interfaces.