Tutorial #2
(http://www.squeakland.org/project.jsp?/fun_projects/NewHandlesTutorial.002.
pr) was so much clearer than #1 that I wished I'd just skipped #1.

A couple of points I can make, though...

Sometimes the orange "Navigator" button is referred to as the "Navigator
bar" (#1) and other times as the "Navigator flap." While the two are
apparantly synonymous, I think it has potential to confuse a new user
(particularly an elementary teacher or young student).

Several screens instruct the user to "command-click" but don't give the Win
"alt-click." Granted, it could get redundant. Maybe post separate tutorials
for Win vs. Mac to avoid this? Also, as a more frequent user of Win than of
Mac, I find it cumbersome to "alt-click." Any chance of making this a
"right-click," or perhaps adding a toggle switch to go into "handles mode"
or something where a simple "click" on an object will bring up its handles
(if not showing), as well as hide the handles of any object selected
previously? When the proposed toggle switch is NOT in "handles mode" then
"clicks" will no longer show/hide handles. I also understand that there may
be reasons I don't (yet?) understand why this would be impractical or
unnecessary.

On p. 6 of this tutorial the instructions read: "Drag a holder box out of
the supplies flap..." A new user may need to be told that this is red and at
the bottom-right of the screen. Some users may also feel frustrated that
they don't really know what a "holder box" is (even though that's not the
point of the exercise).

On p. 10 the tutorial reads: "Notice that all of the scripting titles have
changed..." and "Look at the scripting titles when you [move your sketch
around]." A new user may be confused by the phrase "scripting titles." It
sounds very "computer geeky" and suggests that "this will be too
hard/confusing for me to use," especially since the term is not explained
anywhere. If it's important to introduce the language "scripting" (and it
may well be!) then maybe add a screen to define/explain what the "scripting
titles" are and what "scripting" is. Maybe this could be accomplished by
moving the instructions on p. 10 to later in the tutorial, after the user
has modified the scripts (properties of x, y, heading, rotation and the
"exclamation point" actions). Maybe then explain that this is "scripting"...
you are "programming" the object by telling it what to do. At this point you
could insert the p. 10 instructions about changing the object's name and the
user will be ready to notice the change in scripting titles (without so much
potential for fear of the term).


Nancy