newbie stuff

Firstly thanks for the tips I received on how to browse code in Squeak.

Secondly a suggestion - when introducing beginners, a reduced list (but
effective set) of classes and methods would make learning easier because the
structure of the system would be more apparent and there would be less
'noise'.  A metaphor would be teaching an alien how to live on earth - you
might start by showing them how to live in a village, then once they knew
how to go from house to house and shop etc, you might take them to a town
where they can learn to use a library and catch the bus.  Finally they might
take those ideas to the city just like once I know smalltalk and squeak
better I will be able to make use of all these classes and methods.  So for
instance you might only offer me one type of morph, one type of canvas, one
openInBlah etc.  So maybe this would be a switch in the browser to hide/show
classes and methods of secondary/extended/intermediate/progressed kind.

Some questions:

Does Squeak follow a 3-button mouse approach to human interface?  Is there a
plan to surrender that initial idea - I think 2-button is becoming an
assumed thing these days irrespective of whether you use Windows, Linux, Mac
or something else.  How would Squeak have to change if it moved to a 2
button model?

I'm trying to create a Morphic class that contains a subMorph called
internalCircle that is fitted to the bounds of its square parent.  Ideally I
could then move the parent around and the child would move with it.  What's
the best way to do this?  I want them to be Morphs because I want them to be
both visual and encapsulate (different) behaviour of an 'experiment' and a
sub component of that experiment.

I'm hearing references to 'scripting' in Squeak or the toy thing that's
related.  What is it and do I need to learn about it if I'm doing Squeak
application development?

Finally I have accidentally deleted the posting, but someone referred to
some incomplete wiki article they had written about what Monticello,
Squeakmap etc are and how they work.  I just wanted to say it was an
excellent piece, very helpful - and if the first 2 pages (up to the terms
section) were taken as is they would be very helpful for beginners and so I
would move the unfinished part off to some other page.  Also perhaps the way
the 'rules' are explained could be polished and made more readable (to
non-grad CS students)

TIA for any responses

Dave

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On Jan 30, 2007, at 14:31 , David Urquhart wrote:
Doesn't exist for Squeak I think. There was a project called  
LearningWorks based on VisualWorks Smalltalk (or was it ObjectWorks  
back then?) which presented a partial view of the system.

The closest Squeak match would be Stef's BotsInc: http://
smallwiki.unibe.ch/botsinc/

> Some questions:
>
> Does Squeak follow a 3-button mouse approach to human interface?  
> Is there a plan to surrender that initial idea - I think 2-button  
> is becoming an assumed thing these days irrespective of whether you  
> use Windows, Linux, Mac or something else.  How would Squeak have  
> to change if it moved to a 2 button model?

Not at all as far as I'm concerned, it works fine with 1, 2, or 3  
button mice. What would *you* like to change?

> I'm trying to create a Morphic class that contains a subMorph  
> called internalCircle that is fitted to the bounds of its square  
> parent.  Ideally I could then move the parent around and the child  
> would move with it.  What's the best way to do this?  I want them  
> to be Morphs because I want them to be both visual and encapsulate  
> (different) behaviour of an 'experiment' and a sub component of  
> that experiment.

Well, "best" depends on your goal. You can do that interactively  
without a line of coding if you want. Just drop the attached file  
into your image and choose "load as morph".

> I'm hearing references to 'scripting' in Squeak or the toy thing  
> that's related.  What is it and do I need to learn about it if I'm  
> doing Squeak application development?

For app development it is not "necessary". But it may be enlightening  
nontheless, as it is the original design goal of Squeak. Many Morphic  
design decisions are based on this, that's why it is quite different  
from a legacy UI toolkit. See

        http://www.squeakland.org/whatis/whatismain.html

- Bert -




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Thanks Bert

>Doesn't exist for Squeak I think. There was a project called  LearningWorks
>based on VisualWorks Smalltalk (or was it ObjectWorks  back then?) which
>presented a partial view of the system.
>
>The closest Squeak match would be Stef's BotsInc: http://
>smallwiki.unibe.ch/botsinc/

I have a copy on its way from Amazon :)  Can't wait.

>Not at all as far as I'm concerned, it works fine with 1, 2, or 3  button
>mice. What would *you* like to change?

always a good challenge :)  I may have read some dated smalltalk or squeak
design notes.

>Well, "best" depends on your goal. You can do that interactively  without a
>line of coding if you want. Just drop the attached file  into your image
>and choose "load as morph".

Thankyou for that - additionally to see how code from a friend can be
dropped in.

>For app development it is not "necessary". But it may be enlightening  
>nontheless, as it is the original design goal of Squeak. Many Morphic  
>design decisions are based on this, that's why it is quite different  from
>a legacy UI toolkit. See
>
> http://www.squeakland.org/whatis/whatismain.html

Thanks for the link.  I appreciate my reading being directed.

Dave

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On Wed, Jan 31, 2007 at 12:31:43AM +1100, David Urquhart wrote:
> Finally I have accidentally deleted the posting, but someone referred to
> some incomplete wiki article they had written about what Monticello,
> Squeakmap etc are and how they work.  I just wanted to say it was an
> excellent piece, very helpful - and if the first 2 pages (up to the terms
> section) were taken as is they would be very helpful for beginners and so I
> would move the unfinished part off to some other page.  Also perhaps the
> way the 'rules' are explained could be polished and made more readable (to
> non-grad CS students)

Perhaps you are refering to this?
http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/5878

--
Matthew Fulmer -- http://mtfulmer.wordpress.com/
Help improve Squeak Documentation: http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/808
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