[Newbies] newbie stuff

[David Urquhart]

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

_________________________________________________________________
Join the millions of Australians using Live Search. Try live.com.au 
http://ninemsn.com.au/share/redir/adTrack.asp?mode=click&clientID=740&referral=million&URL=http://live.com.au