Another possibility is annotating labs with video in a separate window. This could provide instructional resources of audio and animation beyond the current textual resources (although the textual resources certainly have the advantages of being concise and easily accessible). The sandbox executable window is an aspect of J labs that makes them such good teaching tools.
Cheers, bob On 2011-02-21, at 7:00 AM, Don Guinn wrote: > In the JHS interface to J7 we have an opportunity to give an entirely > different look to labs without having to make any changes to the lab > scripts. For example, split the JHS into two windows. Have the left window > contain the text of the lab and the right window be the normal executable > window. Now people can re-read the text while playing and the text doesn't > get scrolled out of sight. Perhaps even split the right window in two with > the executable part of the lab in a scrollable window and the normal > executable window as a "sandbox" for the user to play. > > Preventing the lab information from scrolling away makes it easier for > people to read and review. And now lab buttons can be added without having > to put them in the jijx window. > > Probably not something to do right now, but just a thought of something that > might be nice later. > > On Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 5:51 AM, chris burke <[email protected]> wrote: > >> As regards the Mac key mappings, probably no one is listening because >> you already have the means to fix it. To repeat, Jsoftware people are >> not Mac users, and all source for the IDE is public domain. Mac users >> - please get cracking and fix the code the way you want it to work, >> thanks. >> >> As regards IDE menus - please understand that the IDE is a development >> tool, and is not intended as a set of training wheels for novices. By >> all means provide these in the addons. >> >> BTW, the labs could be run in a separate window, or even in a separate >> J session. Loading the labs could then customize the session as >> needed, including customizing the menus. >> >> On Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 7:03 PM, Ian Clark <[email protected]> wrote: >>> < Rant > >>> Menus are the first line of recourse for the novice. And who are the >>> Labs meant for, if not novices? >>> >>> The Macintosh Human Factors Guidelines used to warn against >>> key/modifier chords which correspond to no menu item. Loose >>> "shortcuts" are a Windows abuse and diagnostic of an app developed >>> with little or no concession to novices. >>> >>> Ctrl in Windows is (usually) the counterpart of Cmnd (⌘) on the Mac. >>> But nowadays Mac keyboards offer a Ctrl key also, as a concession to >>> ex-Windows customers (...growing) -- particularly users of M$Word, >>> which has been re-ported to the Mac with little or no understanding of >>> novice needs. There's no good reason for a novice ever to buy M$Word: >>> the kludge is aimed at an existing audience. Which is, they'd >>> arrogantly maintain: everybody (...who matters). Hence the need to >>> offer a Ctrl key. >>> >>> But on the Mac: Ctrl+J to advance a Lab is Ctrl+J in JGTK not ⌘J ...it >>> appears to be the sole exception to the "rule" Ctrl+ --> ⌘ . >>> >>> I'd have pointed this out before but I don't know if anyone's >>> listening. (How many Mac users are there on this list? Four?) >>> </ Rant > >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 9:04 AM, chris burke <[email protected]> >> wrote: >>>> I think it should be enough to say: >>>> >>>> "To advance the lab, press Esc A in JHS, or Ctrl-J in Gtk." >>>> >>>> I updated the lab script for this. >>>> >>>> On Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 3:41 PM, Ric Sherlock <[email protected]> >> wrote: >>>>> This should now read: >>>>> To advance the lab, if you are using the JHS front end, select menu >> Studio|Advance Lab or the corresponding shortcut (Esc,a), otherwise if you >> are using the Gtk front end then select the menu Help|Studio|Advance Lab or >> the corresponding shortcut (Ctrl+j). >>>>> (Note the Gtk menu item doesn't exist yet but probably should). >>>>> >>>>> Seems harder than it needs to be to me! >>>>> >>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>> From: Ajith Prasad <[email protected]> >>>>> Sent: Monday, 21 February 2011 17:08 >>>>> To: '[email protected]' <[email protected]> >>>>> Subject: [Jgeneral] Shortcut for advancing the Lab menus? >>>>> >>>>> Lab: A Taste of J (1) >>>>> To advance the lab, select menu Studio|Advance or the >>>>> corresponding shortcut. >>>>> >>>>> ********************************** >>>>> >>>>> As "Studio|Advance" does not appear on the j701gtk menu, what would the >> shortcut be? Thanks. >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> 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
