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Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window?

From	Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com>
Newsgroups	alt.comp.os.windows-xp, alt.windows7.general, alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.msdos.batch.nt
Subject	Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window?
Date	2026-02-10 03:59 -0500
Organization	BWH Usenet Archive (https://usenet.blueworldhosting.com)
Message-ID	<10mes1q$155t$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> (permalink)
References	(3 earlier) <10m5ujv$h4sl$3@dont-email.me> <10m6b4t$5ss2$1@news.xmission.com> <10md3ie$2uj87$1@toylet.eternal-september.org> <10md7jo$c3g$1@nnrp.usenet.blueworldhosting.com> <10megio$3d74r$2@toylet.eternal-september.org>

Cross-posted to 4 groups.

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Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
> Kids that grow up in the era of GUI most likely don't understand console 
> text, and the difference between graphical text and real text. Letting 
> them to take a screenshot is easier for them to ask for help.
> 
> You can always take the chance to teach them how to cut-and-text from a 
> console window, that there is something called text in the old computing 
> days.

The console window, on Windows anyway, is the weirdest thing nowadays when
it comes to how you capture text after the fact (i.e., sans redirects).
 <https://i.postimg.cc/jdZ94dLY/bsod107.jpg>

Most of us have been using the console since prior to the existence of
Windows, where even now, the Windows console probably still feels strange
to modern users because it is one of the oldest surviving UI components in
the operating system that Bill Gates luckily beat out CP/M for IBM's deal.

It does not behave like a normal text widget. Instead of treating output as
a flowing document, it uses a fixed grid buffer that dates back to Tim
Paterson QDOS-era design that Microsoft bought from SCP for PC DOS 1.0.

This leads to several odd behaviors:

1. Selecting text is non-intuitive. 
   Until recently you had to enter "Mark" mode, drag a rectangle,
   and press Enter to copy. This is the opposite of how almost every
   other GUI text field works.

2. The buffer is not the same as the visible window. 
   The buffer may be wider than the window, and resizing the window
   often can reflow or even truncate text. Programs that write directly
   to screen coordinates can make copying even harder.

3. Selecting text can pause the running program. 
   This is a legacy behavior from the days when console output 
   and input were tightly coupled.

Because of all this, taking a screenshot is often the easiest way for newer
users to capture what they see. It always works, it preserves formatting,
and it matches the habits they already have from phones and tablets.

Windows Terminal supposedly fixes most of these issues. Dunno much about it
though as I don't like it. I'm used to the old school. But it supports
normal click-and-drag selection, Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V, proper Unicode
handling, and a modern text rendering engine. It behaves like a
contemporary terminal emulator instead of a historical artifact.

I'm old school. That's for the kids under about the age of 60. :)

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Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 11:12 +0100
  Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-06 21:06 +0800
    Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 15:47 +0100
      Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-07 00:31 +0800
        Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 18:02 +0100
          Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 18:05 +0100
          Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2026-02-06 17:50 +0000
            Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? Herbert Kleebauer <klee@unibwm.de> - 2026-02-06 19:16 +0100
              Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 20:32 +0100
            Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-06 14:06 -0500
              Screenshots etc. (was: Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ?) "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-06 23:48 +0000
                Re: Screenshots etc. (was: Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ?) gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2026-02-07 03:22 +0000
                Re: Screenshots etc. Herbert Kleebauer <klee@unibwm.de> - 2026-02-07 13:39 +0100
                Re: Screenshots etc. "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-07 20:08 +0000
                Re: Screenshots etc. JJ <jj4public@gmail.com> - 2026-02-08 11:13 +0700
                Re: Screenshots etc. "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-08 09:51 +0100
                Re: Screenshots etc. Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-08 10:52 +0000
                Re: Screenshots etc. JJ <jj4public@gmail.com> - 2026-02-09 05:59 +0700
                Re: Screenshots etc. "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-08 08:21 +0100
                Re: Screenshots etc. "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-07 20:03 +0000
                Re: Screenshots etc. Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-07 16:42 -0500
                Re: Screenshots etc. "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-08 15:06 +0000
                Re: Screenshots etc. Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-08 19:26 -0500
                Re: Screenshots etc. Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-07 19:56 -0500
                Re: Screenshots etc. "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-08 09:10 +0100
                Re: Screenshots etc. Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-09 20:06 -0600
                Really? (Was: Screenshots etc.) gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2026-02-10 05:03 +0000
                Re: Someone posted an almost 3TB post on Usenet? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-10 13:40 +0800
                Re: Really? (Was: Screenshots etc.) Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-10 05:59 -0500
                Re: Really? (Was: Screenshots etc.) Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-10 11:55 -0600
                Re: Really? (Was: Screenshots etc.) Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-10 14:01 -0500
                Re: Screenshots etc. "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-08 15:18 +0000
                Re: Screenshots etc. Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-09 13:08 -0500
                Re: Screenshots etc. (was: Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ?) "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2026-02-08 15:38 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-10 00:55 +0800
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-09 13:04 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-10 13:43 +0800
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-10 03:59 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-10 22:47 +0800
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-10 22:04 +1100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-10 07:37 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Steve Hayes <hayesstw@telkomsa.net> - 2026-02-12 06:00 +0200
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2026-02-12 09:58 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-16 21:09 +0800
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-16 08:52 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-17 17:08 +0800
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-16 16:35 +0100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-17 12:50 +1100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Herbert Kleebauer <klee@unibwm.de> - 2026-02-17 07:51 +0100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-17 21:39 +1100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-17 10:19 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-17 19:57 +0100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-17 19:19 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-17 10:39 +0100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-17 21:44 +1100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-17 12:24 +0100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-17 22:35 +1100
                OT - releasing points (was: Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window?) "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-17 20:53 +0000
                Re: OT - releasing points (was: Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window?) "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-17 22:26 +0100
                Re: OT - releasing points "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-18 12:32 +0000
                Re: OT - releasing points "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-18 15:49 +0100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-17 10:40 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2026-02-17 17:10 +0800
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-17 11:01 +0100
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-17 05:43 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-17 21:11 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-17 19:07 -0600
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-18 12:56 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-18 13:20 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-18 18:38 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-18 19:02 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-18 22:51 -0600
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-19 10:31 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-19 10:02 -0500
                Thunderbird and MIDs (was: Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window?) "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-20 11:54 +0000
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-20 08:54 -0500
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-20 15:04 +0000
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-20 20:18 +0100
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-20 20:46 +0000
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-21 09:05 +0100
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-21 21:39 +1100
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-20 17:00 -0500
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-20 17:00 -0600
                Outlook and news (was: Re: Thunderbird and MIDs) "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-21 01:57 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news (was: Re: Thunderbird and MIDs) Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-20 22:52 -0600
                Re: Outlook and news (was: Re: Thunderbird and MIDs) Peter Johnson <peter@parksidewood.nospam> - 2026-02-22 19:01 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news (was: Re: Thunderbird and MIDs) Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> - 2026-02-22 19:12 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-23 05:16 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-23 20:24 +1100
                Re: Outlook and news Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-23 10:49 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> - 2026-02-23 18:32 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2026-02-23 20:00 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-24 12:14 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2026-02-23 19:36 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news (was: Re: Thunderbird and MIDs) Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> - 2026-02-22 19:12 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-22 19:57 -0500
                Re: Outlook and news ...w¡ñ§±¤ñ <winstonmvp@gmail.com> - 2026-02-21 03:30 -0700
                Re: Outlook and news "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-21 13:49 +0000
                Re: Outlook and news ...w¡ñ§±¤ñ <winstonmvp@gmail.com> - 2026-02-21 11:50 -0700
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-20 17:01 -0600
                Re: Thunderbird and MIDs Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-02-20 18:45 -0500
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2026-02-19 11:45 -0600
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-20 12:16 +0000
                Re: why graphical screenshot? from a command prompt console window? Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-02-17 21:58 +1100
                Re: Screenshots etc. (was: Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ?) Anton Shepelev <anton.txt@g{oogle}mail.com> - 2026-02-18 19:30 +0300
            Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 20:18 +0100
              Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? Herbert Kleebauer <klee@unibwm.de> - 2026-02-06 21:24 +0100
                Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-07 07:31 +0100
  Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 15:26 +0000
    Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? Maria Sophia <mariasophia@comprehension.com> - 2026-02-06 11:35 -0500
      Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-07 08:30 +0100
    Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 19:16 +0100
      Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-02-06 19:46 +0000
        Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2026-02-07 11:13 +0100
      Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ? "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-02-07 00:05 +0000

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