[etoys-dev] Etoys: Etoys-Richo.103.mcz

[karl ramberg]

On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 1:30 PM, Steve Thomas <sthomas1 at gosargon.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 6:41 PM, Scott Wallace
> <scott.wallace at squeakland.org> wrote:
>>
>> On Feb 10, 2012, at 2:45 PM, Ricardo Moran wrote:
>>
>> Hi again, I've been working on the "decimal places" option and now I don't
>> feel is a good idea because we would still have the "decimal places..." menu
>> item in system-defined slots. I feel this wouldn't be very consistent. Maybe
>> the dialog with just name & type would be good enough.
>>
>>
>> Arguably yes... However, since you've already done the work to have the
>> decimal-places element come and go in the panel, depending on the type
>> chosen, and since its presence in the panel helps make users conscious of
>> the "decimal places" feature, which they might otherwise not be aware of,
>> maybe we should keep it there...
>>
>> In any case, this is an excellent and timely and really welcome piece of
>> work, Richo -- yay!
>>
>> Any comments from Ed Team about this?
>
>
> Comments :
>
> Richo Rocks
> When when I click on the Type - a new window pops up, which I find visually
> distracting
>
> Having something similar to clicking on the sound tile in a "make sound"
> tile in a scriptor is better

The difference is that the variable menu has a 'header'.
I like that it tells what it is that you are supposed to do with these
abstract entities that change what the variable means.
The sounds menu is a little simpler because they are just sound names,
no semantic change.

Karl

> A further improvement would be something  more like a drop down menu, where
> the colors don't change and as you mouse over the selections they are
> highlighted.
>
> I like the showing of decimal places when you select number.  Consistency
> and minimalism are great (but not always best for new learners)
> I would put back the title bar "Add Variable" as it is not obvious what the
> downward pointing pink arrow does (ah the curse of knowledge when the expert
> is trying to teach the novice)
>
>
> Finally my dear Ricardo, you may wish to consider heading the advise of Ben
> Franklin to Thomas Jefferson when he was drafting the Decleration of
> Independence:
> "I have made a rule, whenever in my power, to avoid becoming the draughtsman
> of papers to be reviewed by a public body. I took my lesson from an incident
> which I will relate to you. When I was a journeyman printer, one of my
> companions, an apprentice hatter, having served out his time, was about to
> open shop for himself. His first concern was to have a handsome signboard,
> with a proper inscription. He composed it in these words, 'John Thompson,
> Hatter, makes and sells hats for ready money,' with a figure of a hat
> subjoined. But thought he would submit it to his friends for their
> amendments. The first he showed it to thought the word 'Hatter' tautologous,
> because followed by the words 'makes hats,' which showed he was a hatter. It
> was struck out. The next observed that the word 'makes' might as well be
> omitted, because his customers would not care who made the hats. If good and
> to their mind, they would buy them, by whomsoever made. He struck it out. A
> third said he thought the words 'for ready money' were useless, as it was
> not the custom of the place to sell on credit. Every one who purchased
> expected to pay. They were parted with, and the inscription now stood, 'John
> Thompson sells hats.' 'Sells hats!' says the next friend. 'Why, nobody will
> expect you to give them away. What then is the use of that word?' It was
> stricken out, and 'hats' followed it, the rather as there was one painted on
> the board. So the inscription was reduced ultimately to 'John Thompson,'
> with the figure of a hat subjoined."
>
> Stephen
>
> _______________________________________________
> etoys-dev mailing list
> etoys-dev at squeakland.org
> http://lists.squeakland.org/mailman/listinfo/etoys-dev
>