Toolbook is, most definitely, less of a programming environment than
Livecode, but more of a LEGO kit.
Which makes me wonder . . .
It provides a vast number of premade objects,
74 types of text object,
but, an extremely limited number of buttons,
which, obviously, both take a lot of donkey work off the back of the
end-user,
AND, cramp the imaginative style of the end-user . . .
Now, whether that is a bad or good thing is hard to say . . .
However . . with reference to Dar Scott and others,
I begin to wonder if, as Livecode gets increasingly capable of extremely
sophisticated things,
if it is not time for a 2-tier interface:
1. An interface with a vast number of premade objects with preprogrammed
capabilities rather like Toolbook and . . . [apologies in advance] . . .
Powerpoint.
2. Our current interface, or even a reduced one somewhat like the
Metacard one.
When I have taught programming to Primary kids I have found they divide
into two groups
(about 25% to 75%)
those who want to control everything through programming objects via scripts
and
those who want the plug-n-play, programming-as-LEGO-blocks kids.
Of course, as an intellectual snob I favour the first 25%.
Notwithstanding that, if Livecode has any serious pretensions to "Power
to the People"
it might like to consider the needs of the second group . . . especially
not when it comes
to a bunch of school kids who are paying Richmond to keep their kids off
the streets
in June-July, but when it comes to end-users who (c.f. my Master's
thesis from Abertay)
are interested in delivering an end-product relating to their subject
area without having
to go to great lengths to learn a programming language first.
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