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WYSIWYG /wiz'ee-wig/ adj.
Describes a user interface
under which "What You See Is What You Get", as opposed to one
that uses more-or-less obscure commands that do not result in
immediate visual feedback. True WYSIWYG in environments supporting
multiple fonts or graphics is a a rarely-attained ideal; there are
variants of this term to express real-world manifestations
including WYSIAWYG (What You See Is Almost What You Get) and
WYSIMOLWYG (What You See Is More or Less What You Get). All these
can be mildly derogatory, as they are often used to refer to
dumbed-down user-friendly interfaces targeted at
non-programmers; a hacker has no fear of obscure commands (compare
WYSIAYG). On the other hand, EMACS was one of the very
first WYSIWYG editors, replacing (actually, at first overlaying)
the extremely obscure, command-based TECO. See also WIMP environment. [Oddly enough, WYSIWYG has already made it into the
OED, in lower case yet. --ESR]
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