> The training wheels vocabulary should be designed for the total newbie,
> This means that the top-level vocabulary page really doesn't need > color-coding, or tool-tip pop-ups, since neither of these cue schemes > will mean anything to the newbie. Even with a color scheme, the newbie Here it is assumed that "newbie" is a discrete state: at one moment one is a newbie and the next moment, a non-newbie. All those terms "newbie" and "training wheels" maybe somewhat simplified. Instead, the J learner--and very quickly J user--can be considered, going through very individual continuous developmental process. Some people reading a tutorial, such as Roger Strokes "Learning J", won't even use the Vocabulary until they already have learned about Parts of Speech. In fact, Parts of Speech are introduced on the first page of the first book of Dictionary: Introduction. So it seems, whatever learning aids feasible should be used, which taps into the human natural analytical and learning capacity. But wouldn't such approach arrive at the same level of complexity and density of material as the Dictionary itself? Not necessarily: the learning aids could be enhanced with good results from current understanding of knowledge and skill acquisition. But this also does not mean that simply diluting or simplification of Dictionary will produce a better study aid. ----- Original Message ---- > From: Skip Cave <s...@caveconsulting.com> > > The training wheels vocabulary should be designed for the total newbie, > who sees a J expression somewhere, and goes to this TW vocabulary to > analyze that expression. The only thing that newbie should need to know > to use the TW vocabulary, is that J primitive symbols can be one or two > ASCII characters. Hopefully, that should allow the newbie to click on > the symbol they are interested in, and have its' function explained, > assuming no prior knowledge about J. > > This means that the top-level vocabulary page really doesn't need > color-coding, or tool-tip pop-ups, since neither of these cue schemes > will mean anything to the newbie. Even with a color scheme, the newbie > will have no clue about nouns and verbs. A tool-tip pop-up help text > will likely be too limited in size to bring much understanding to the > newbie, and hyperlinks in a tool tip are problematic. The only thing > that newbie needs to see in the TW vocabulary main page is the symbol > that they want to look up. I suspect the colors and pop-ups will cause > more confusion that clarity to a newbie. > > The main focus of the initial vocabulary page should be a intuitive > organization of symbols, with hyperlinks from each primitive to clear > explanations (note that I use the word 'explanation', rather that > definition) of that primitive. This is much like the current vocabulary, > except the definitions have training wheels - they are explanations.. > When a newbie finds the symbol they want to understand, they can click > on it. A new page will be launched with that primitive's description. > Each primitive's description should have lots of examples and > explanations, as well as hyperlinks to further explain each new concept > that is presented in the primitive's description and examples. . > > I expect that there will be as least as many hyperlinked pages about J > concepts such as nouns, verbs, adverbs, rank, shape, forks, etc., in the > hyperlinked TW vocabulary/dictionary, as there are primitive explanation > and example pages. We will need training wheels explanations of nouns, > verbs, rank, etc. and every other novel concept in the J language. The > concept explanations will be hyperlinked from each primitive's > description page, so that no matter where the newbie starts in his quest > to understand J, they will have instant access to cogent explanations of > the concepts they need to understand, when and where they need them, as > they make their personalized path way through the J learning curve. > > Skip Cave. > . > <<>> > Björn Helgason wrote: > > There is obviously a lot of different kind of information needed. > > > > The symbols explained is one thing and if it is done html style with > > popups the information can be in the form as it is in the dictionary > > in one popup and then another in the form of more detailed > > information, yet another in the form of examples of use and possibly > > with links to where it is used. > > > > Then there may be cross-links from the likes of phrases etc examples > > how a symbol can work together with other symbols. > > > > There could be different paths into the helps like for beginners etc > > what information should be used, what tutorials, helps, demos and labs > > to look at in what order. > > > > 2010/1/26 Skip Cave : > > > >> Remember that the primary usage of the "training wheels" vocabulary is > >> to help newbies find what a specific symbol does. Newbies will not have > >> a clue about monadic or dyadic, verbs, nouns, etc. A one-page vocabulary > >> is probably the way to go, since that makes it fairly easy for the > >> novice to find the symbol that they want to know about. Even if there > >> was no order on the page, scanning the page would eventually spot the > >> symbol they were looking for. > >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > 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
