I did something along these lines here: http://www.jsoftware.com/pipermail/chat/2013-October/005401.html
Not faq, but pulling in dictionary entries for symbols. It would be useful to update it for NuVoc and let a person search by name (e.g. 'dict floor') too On Wed, May 28, 2014 at 12:20 PM, Björn Helgason <[email protected]> wrote: > It would be interesting to have a facility in J to send requests to > jsoftware and get automatic answers. > > Lets say the verb would be running at the user. > > The user would type: > > faq 1 > > and get back an answer to the question: > > 1. What is J? > > J is bla bla bla > and was created by bla bla bla > > next question: > > faq 2 > > 2. Who was Ken Iverson? > > Ken Iversion was bla bla bla > and bla bla bla > > faq 3 > > 3. How do you do bla bla bla > > In order to do bla bla bla > you do bla bla bla > > faq 99 > > 99. list of questions > > 1. What is J? > 2. Who was Ken Iverson? > 3. How do you do bla bla bla > 4......... > > ..... > > 99. list of faqs > > etc > > Could be relatively easy to set up because I guess most ingrendiences are > already there. > On 27 May 2014 17:28, "Eric Iverson" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I agree that we must keep and improve the existing labs. There is too > > much good and criitical material there. But if we have a better > > infrastructure for new labs then the old will gradually move to it. > > > > On Tue, May 27, 2014 at 12:43 PM, Björn Helgason <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > I do like the labs as is so using spx is a good idea but not change the > > > labs that are now. > > > > > > Make new tutorial system using new features. > > > > > > Not eliminate existing demos and labs. > > > > > > I can see integrated video, helps, labs, demos, tutorials and have > > > different versions for beginners and advanced but in a new added > system. > > > > > > The existing labs and demos are great as is so do not change those at > > least > > > not until something better is in place. > > > On 27 May 2014 14:14, "Eric Iverson" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > >> The labs were great in their time. Rather than recreate that wheel it > > >> might be worthwhile to step back and look at the issues in current > > >> light. > > >> > > >> I think the labs structure is too restricted. I strongly favor the JHS > > >> spx approach that lets you treat any script (or any text file) as a > > >> lab. I think this is a compelling argument. Right now the spx facility > > >> is very simple but could be easily improved. Effort here might be > > >> better than on the old lab aurthor system. > > >> > > >> The other part of the solution (that would fit hand in glove with > > >> enhanced spx) is to take advantage of the fact the scripts are loaded > > >> (and spx managed) with J code. This means it is easy to make the > > >> source script much richer. I think html with custom tags is the way to > > >> go to have a single script that can be used to load an applicaton, run > > >> an spx lab, and to have a literate programming display. Lots of hand > > >> waving here, but a script that started with an <html> tag could be > > >> handled specially by various programs. Load would strip out all lines > > >> not in <code-load) tags. spx could have special treatment of other > > >> tags. Publish could do similar processing. And just showing the script > > >> in a browser would be useful. > > >> > > >> Lots of handwaving above, but I think this is the way to go. One nice > > >> thing is that it could be done in small steps with immediate benefits. > > >> For example the step to have load just handle the lines in <code-load> > > >> tags and to just treat the script as html for display would provide > > >> quite a few features. In fact, it might be best to just have html > > >> scripts that can be handled by load and spx. Maybe foo.ijs.html > > >> scripts. > > >> > > >> Note that spx is not specific to JHS. It works reasonably well in Jqt > > >> or Jconsole and could the rough edges in those environments can easily > > >> be fixed with a bit of J programming. The new release of Jd uses spx > > >> and works in all front ends. > > >> > > >> Potential lab authors are far better off to learn some html than a J > > >> specific lab authoring facility. > > >> > > >> Any interest in making the general issue of labs/literate > > >> programming/publishing the topic of a workshop at the conference in > > >> July? > > >> > > >> > > >> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 10:23 PM, robert therriault > > >> <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> > Well, I am looking at it and I will keep everyone posted if I make > any > > >> progress, but I really won't feel bad if someone else wanted to take > it > > on > > >> (or even better join in). > > >> > > > >> > I am starting with the JHS system using Safari as my browser. Even > > >> though the lab .ijt files are text files which any version of J would > > read, > > >> some of the instructions to initiate events such as running video are > > >> dependent on the J environment being used, so that generalization > across > > >> the different environments may be end up being a challenge. > > >> > > > >> > The first challenge is to get people to think that it is not a bad > > idea. > > >> :-) > > >> > > > >> > Cheers, bob > > >> > > > >> > On May 26, 2014, at 7:05 PM, Raul Miller <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > >> > > > >> >> Does that mean you are volunteering to do the update? > > >> >> > > >> >> ;) > > >> >> > > >> >> Thanks, > > >> >> > > >> >> -- > > >> >> Raul > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 8:56 PM, robert therriault < > > >> [email protected]>wrote: > > >> >> > > >> >>> Hey Raul, > > >> >>> > > >> >>> Developing a tool that can be used to create labs as they are > > imagined > > >> now > > >> >>> is mostly an update from the previous lab author, so most of the > > heavy > > >> >>> lifting has been done. The next level is to come up with what labs > > >> might > > >> >>> become; incorporating a number of communications methods that > html5 > > >> makes > > >> >>> available with an interface that reduces the overhead to lab > > creation. > > >> I > > >> >>> would like to say it is the interface design that I find most > > >> difficult, > > >> >>> but really the biggest challenge is personal time management. :-) > > >> >>> > > >> >>> Cheers, bob > > >> >>> > > >> >>> On May 26, 2014, at 5:21 PM, Raul Miller <[email protected]> > > >> wrote: > > >> >>> > > >> >>>> Keep in mind that my "don't like video" is limited - I *would* > > like it > > >> >>>> under a variety of circumstances and I would not hesitate to > > >> recommend it > > >> >>>> for some purposes. > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> I'm not trying to say it's bad or anything. But I guess I do > avoid > > it > > >> in > > >> >>>> some contexts. > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> Meanwhile, it can't be that hard to document the data format for > > labs. > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> Thanks, > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> -- > > >> >>>> Raul > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 4:36 PM, robert therriault < > > >> >>> [email protected]>wrote: > > >> >>>> > > >> >>>>> Hey Raul, > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>>> 1) One of the advantages of scripted video is that there is a > > written > > >> >>>>> artefact that could be included for search purposes. Similar to > > the > > >> way > > >> >>>>> that SVG includes its text as searchable content as opposed to > > >> bitmaps > > >> >>> of > > >> >>>>> words on canvas. > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>>> 2) This is a little trickier because it implicitly dives through > > the > > >> >>>>> levels that we interact with video. The pixelmator video example > > was > > >> one > > >> >>>>> that I was looking at as a viewer (because it is pretty) and as > a > > >> >>> content > > >> >>>>> creator (by the way it conveyed information so efficiently). The > > >> level > > >> >>> you > > >> >>>>> are talking about is the level of the tool to create such a > video > > or > > >> >>> image. > > >> >>>>> The reason that J doesn't have such a tool is probably because > > this > > >> >>> level > > >> >>>>> of UI is really difficult to get right and even when you do, the > > >> users > > >> >>> may > > >> >>>>> turn on you, such as when Apple introduced the new version of > > Final > > >> Cut > > >> >>>>> Pro. Also, there may not be reasons for J to manipulate video in > > this > > >> >>> way > > >> >>>>> when there are other tools already available, but you already > > >> referred > > >> >>> to > > >> >>>>> this when you talked of bringing other tools such as Blender. > > >> >>> Currently, I > > >> >>>>> am taking a hard look at the labs feature in J to provide this > > type > > >> of > > >> >>>>> glue. Amazingly, we lack a creation tool for labs in the newer > > >> versions > > >> >>> of > > >> >>>>> J and if there were a tool that would be > > >> >>>>> worth building, I think that would be it. > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>>> 3) In signing off (and even though you don't like video) I just > > >> opened a > > >> >>>>> link to this orientation/welcoming tutorial produced by > > >> >>> processing.orgthat also has content that involves the visual > aspects > > >> and > > >> >>> power of > > >> >>>>> computer programming. Might be worth a look. > > >> >>> http://hello.processing.org/ > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>>> Cheers, bob > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>>> On May 26, 2014, at 10:46 AM, Raul Miller < > [email protected]> > > >> >>> wrote: > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>>>> I guess I have two thoughts looking at that: > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> (1) I personally prefer reading over video. Video is really > hard > > to > > >> >>> find > > >> >>>>>> using search, and it's slow to watch. > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> (2) Why don't I know how to generate a UI like that, using J? > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> Of course anything worth doing takes time, and I have to allow > > for > > >> >>> that. > > >> >>>>>> But video is particularly frustrating for me, also because I > > don't > > >> know > > >> >>>>> how > > >> >>>>>> to manipulate the raw underlying data in J. > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> Thanks, > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> -- > > >> >>>>>> Raul > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 1:23 PM, robert therriault < > > >> >>>>> [email protected]>wrote: > > >> >>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>> Thanks Raul, > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>> Another (albeit market driven) approach is the short video > > >> tutorial to > > >> >>>>>>> describe use of a specific tooll. These short tutorials for > the > > >> use of > > >> >>>>>>> pixelmator software are good because they have actually > provided > > >> very > > >> >>>>>>> precise instruction on use of a tool in about a minute. The > > amount > > >> of > > >> >>>>> time > > >> >>>>>>> required to create these tutorials is even more than writing, > > as it > > >> >>>>>>> includes video production, but the result is a just in time > > >> tutorial > > >> >>>>> that > > >> >>>>>>> does not feel too pedantic. > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>> http://www.pixelmator.com/tutorials/featured/transform-tool/ > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>> Cheers, bob > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>> On May 26, 2014, at 10:06 AM, Raul Miller < > > [email protected]> > > >> >>>>> wrote: > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>>> Writing decent tutorial documentation can be hard. > > >> >>>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>>> So here's an example of how one guy who has written a fair > > amount > > >> of > > >> >>>>>>>> documentation has approached things: > > >> >>>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>>> > http://www.xess.com/static/media/appnotes/FpgasNowWhatBook.pdf > > >> >>>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>>> Personally, I'm not all that fond of pdf - I personally > prefer > > >> >>> working > > >> >>>>>>> more > > >> >>>>>>>> directly with the underlying medium. But everybody has to > make > > >> their > > >> >>>>> own > > >> >>>>>>>> choices. > > >> >>>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>>> Thanks, > > >> >>>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>>> -- > > >> >>>>>>>> Raul > > >> >>>>>>>> > > >> >>> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> >>>>>>>> For information about J forums see > > >> >>> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> >>>>>>> For information about J forums see > > >> >>> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> >>>>>>> > > >> >>>>>> > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> >>>>>> For information about J forums see > > >> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>>> > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> >>>>> For information about J forums see > > >> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> >>>>> > > >> >>>> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> >>>> For information about J forums see > > >> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> >>> > > >> >>> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> >>> For information about J forums see > > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> >>> > > >> >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> >> For information about J forums see > > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> > > > >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> > For information about J forums see > > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > >> For information about J forums see > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > >> > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
