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

[karl ramberg]

On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 8:56 PM, Ricardo Moran <richi.moran at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've attached a new version with the following few changes:
>
> I put the title back as suggested by Steve. I didn't realize the "add new
> variable" button wasn't obvious for a newcomer. Also, the title is different
> if you're adding a new variable or modifying an existing one.
> I kept the header for the "change type" menu. I agree with Karl in that the
> menu title here adds information that is not necessary in the "make sound"
> example. However, it won't be difficult to take it out if that's the
> majority's preference. As Steve suggested, a drop down menu would be ideal
> but also more work :)
> I renamed the menu item "change variable info..." to simply "modify <var>"
> and I took out the "decimal places" item for user slots.
>
> As for Subbu's suggestion, I'm not sure that's a good direction. I've always
> suspected of systems who try to be more intelligent than me by inferring
> information based on my behavior :)
>
> And regarding Steve's parable, I'm not sure I get the moral of the story,
> but I think getting reviewed by a lot of people is good, even though I have
> to see my work criticised a lot :)

I think Steve's story means that if you just listen and do what others
think the result will be that you do nothing.


This work should be included in next release :-)

I found a issue with variable type sound
I says 'no value' and I can't drop a sound tile to it.
Do you have a suggestion ?

Karl


>
> Cheers,
> Richo
>
>
>
> On Sun, Feb 12, 2012 at 5:30 PM, karl ramberg <karlramberg at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> 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
>> >
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>> >
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