Re: Nov. meeting with Squeak team--call for discussion

[rnd@sampo.karelia.ru]

On Wed, 29 Sep 1999, Scott Raney wrote:

>>         1. As a tool for teachers to develop applications that students
>>                 will use.
>> 
>>         2. As a tool for students to develop applications that embody
>>                 the non-computer skills they are learning (I suppose 
>>                 this is what everybody means by "authoring").
>> 
>>         3. As a tool to teach computer programming.
>> 
>> Of course, I'd welcome any other sorts of advice as well.
>
>1) Browse the HyperStudio WWW site and download a demo of it from

What  about  SuperCard,  Macromedia  Director,  ...  HyperCard?
Probably HS is dominant, but IMHO not most convenient of  them.
(As for me, I tried SC and HC on Macs, HS has the worse  "look"
and "feel" and scripting.

>   http://www.rwp.com/  It doesn't run on Linux, but it's the dominant
>   product in this area.  You should probably look at one or more of
>   the Logo products (e.g., http://www.microworlds.com/)
>2) Download a copy of the MetaCard Starter Kit and the MetaTalk
>   Programmer package from the MetaCard WWW site
>   http://www.metacard.com/  The current UI doesn't look like
>   HyperStudio, but one that does could be constructed very easily (a
>   miniscule fraction of what would be required to do the same with
>   Squeak).  And it runs on Linux now, could be used to build and
>   distribute a freeware HyperStudio-like product, and even the full
>   version of which is less expensive than HyperStudio.

Yes, Squeak is a little bit bloated (due to the fact that it is
very-very object-oriented and too easy to bloat), but  I  think
it is not very hard to cut Squeak alittle  down  to  the  level
where it will match MetaCard.

I do not believe Logo is a proper language for  HyperCard  like
products. (And I am familiar with some older HS version).

Then, Squeak is more or less open source, as I understood.  And
this is what is most valuable in connection with Linux.

I have not explored Squeak very far, but what  I  saw  gave  me
impression, that everything in Squeak are objects and thus they
can be simplified for those who do not need all power.

>>         3. As a tool to teach computer programming.

Oh yes, and to teach OOP in the first place of course!
Probably even:

   4. As a tool for matured programmers requalification



Sincerely yours, Roman Suzi
--
Russia * Karelia * Petrozavodsk * rnd@rsuzi.pgu.karelia.ru
* Thursday, September 30, 1999 * Powered by Linux RedHat 6.0
* "Plagiarism prohibited, derive carefully."