Bob,

Your latest is very much the best so far. However, each trial points out 
another level of issues (at least to me).
IMHO, I think that the plus flashing over the numbers is still a bit 
distracting. The less going on, the better. Less chance for confusion.
 I think you should start with  showing the two arrays and the plus 
sign   1 2 3 + 4 5 6
The plus sign between the arrays is important, as it shows the 
operation, and it also reflects back to the actual J notation.

Then slide a "ghost" image of the right array over on top of the left 
array. Leave the original arrays and plus sign alone, just  moving the 
ghost array. When the ghost array fully overlaps the other, just update 
the values in the array, and then slide the result array down below the 
original, and center it.  Don't move or update the original arrays. 
Don't flash the pluses. No color changes. The less flashing and 
changing, the better, at least for me. The one existing plus is all you 
need. This keeps it simple.

so you start with   2 + 3

and you end:     2 + 3

                               5
------------------------------------------------------------------------

you start      1 + 2 3 4

you end       1 + 2 3 4

                        3 4 5
------------------------------------------------------------------------

you start       1 2 3  + 4 5 6

you end:       1 2 3 + 4 5 6

                             5 7 9
------------------------------------------------------------------------

you start        1 2 3     1 2 3
                       4 5 6 + 4 5 6
                       7 8 9    7 8 9

you end         1 2 3     1 2 3
                       4 5 6 + 4 5 6
                       7 8 9    7 8 9
                      
                            2   4   6
                            8 10 12
                          14 16 18

Sorry if you feel that you are having to "jump through hoops" trying out 
all of these schemes. Each time you provide a new example, what's good 
and bad just pops out, Too bad we can't visualize all this beforehand, 
but it seems that we have to actually see it work, to spot the issues.

The green "blackboard" below the main display is interesting, but 
distracting. It probably should be in its own video by itself, with an 
explanatory voice-over specifically discussing that concept.

Skip Cave


bob therriault wrote:
> Thanks Skip,
>
> I must admit at first glance I thought your suggestion would be more 
> confusing, not less. But after giving it a shot, with the slight adjustment 
> of covering the 'operation' with a + symbol instead of colour change 
> (discerning colours is not a strength for many), I have found I prefer the 
> approach you suggest. The results can be seen on the jwiki Plus (+) page: 
> http://www.jsoftware.com/jwiki/Vocabulary/plus
>
> The concern that remains is whether you and I have already internalized the 
> matrix operations that we are attempting to describe for a new learner. As 
> Ian has suggested in another post, the only way to have an answer to that is 
> to get the response of new learners. In spite of the fact that J represents 
> an ongoing challenge to me, I don't think I can claim to have  the 
> perspective of a new learner any more. Still, the choices we are developing 
> will be useful when our audience arrives in the theatre.
>
> Cheers, bob
>
> On -Mar7-2010, at -Mar7-201010:43 AM, Skip Cave wrote:
>
>
>   
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