Re: [seul-edu] Crosswords for Linux Backtracking recursive crossword generator

[Manuel Gutierrez Algaba <irmina@ctv.es>]

On Fri, 14 Apr 2000, Bill Tihen -- TECHNOLOGY wrote:
> Also, one confusing aspect of the crossword puzzle is
> that some times there is no space between different
> words.  For example on the first python the answer 
> sketch on the screen is seen as ysketch.  This isn't
> quite the normal xword rules (at least those I grew up
> with) and it makes the puzzle visually much harder.

Yes, I know, I was playing with that "factors". The way it's now
it's because generator is much faster , the words are easier to fit.
I really don't know what to do:
- Improve generator
- Feed more and more words
- Switch to python-tk 
- Switch to Java (1.1) . I don't have 1.2
- Write some automatic filters for those dictionaries I've found 
so I automate the creation of dicts . Problem with Copyrights and
a new design of Crosswords for sure, and perhaps a different 
crossword generator ( many words to choose require a different
strategy).

Each task is a major one, and I don't know which is more "profitable"
in terms of getting people involved. I intended a purely on-line
app, and because of that the Javascript are so small , so simple
and light... And I now head to a purely off-line app.

> 
> One last thing, perhaps its my mathiness, but I find it
> confusing that the coordinates are vertical, horizontal.
> Math uses (x,y) -- as far as I am concerned it's a good
> standard.  However, if you don't want to change this
> perhaps write above the clues that it is (y,x).  But I
> dislike having to rethink opposite for each clue, so I
> would appreaciate (x,y).

Perhaps it should be configurable ( python-tk would be better for this).
In fact, I though (y,x) because I was thinking in rows-columns and 
rows are more important than columns. A matrix 4x1, means a "tall"
vector...
python-tk is almost more crossplatform than Java itself. Although
requires an aditional works for OS/2, Winblows...

Regards/Saludos
Manolo
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