Hi --

We could use lots more documentation in lots more languages most 
certainly. It would be nice to have all the writing systems of the 
world available and usable (the OLPC machine will probably force us 
to do that).

I think he missed the book "Powerful Ideas in the Classroom" which 
would give him a start with his daughter (and for himself). Etoys is 
not at all about widgets, just the opposite. He also seems to have 
missed the tutorials that are on the website.

I don't understand the comment, "squares aren't resizable".

He should be encouraged to try a little harder.

Cheers,

Alan

At 07:39 AM 12/11/2006, Brad Fuller wrote:
>I received a reply on another mailing list from a person who appears to
>have installed and briefly tried squeak, but had some negative comments.
>I was wondering if others here could comment on his reply about squeak
>and I'll condense a msg to him and send it out to the mailing list.
>
>The original msg was a request (from someone else) asking about audio
>software for children - the thread also included general software for
>children.
>
>Here's his short msg:
>
>===
>Just installed it. A very creative but frustrating package. As with too
>many of these things, one must be able to read and that in English (or a
>few European languages?). Fine print abounds in what at first looks like
>a very sparse UI.
>
>The program abounds with objects and widgets. Some very creative and
>versatile, others frustratingly crude. Graphic objects like squares
>cannot be resized (nothing stops one from reprogramming them and then
>dutifully uploading the scalable versions for others to enjoy--smalltalk
>was once the rage.)
>
>Smalltalk 80 is, well, 26 years old. Before Unicode so is incompatable
>with mutlingual keyboard choices. No Hebrew for my daughter, not in UI
>and cannot type it in to text objects either. Truetype fonts (newer than
>smalltalk80) are beatutiful but they are also Unicode based nowadays.
>
>I think most kids would enjoy trying various widgets but run out of
>patience doing anything more with them. Most adults would as well.
>
>--
>
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