On Nov 21, 2004, at 1:15 PM, Judy Perry wrote:
All the docs and learning materials are a huge improvement. Perhaps it is
the sheer complexity of the language that makes one feel as if a
mindreader's services are necessary.
I disagree; I regularly write applications with Cocoa using Objective C and Xcode. I'm also fairly fluent in C++ and Java and have over the years used a lot of different environments and languages. Cocoa and Xcode have been heavily criticized for their documentation but frankly, they put RR's to shame. RR's scripting language and environment are complex but not inordinately so. The problem is that while the documents as provided are pretty good REFERENCES if you know what key word to look for, there is no overview or conceptual documents. It's as though Apple produced Cocoa with literally nothing but the class library documentation. These kinds of conceptual documentation are critical considering the unusual nature of the RR environment. The tutorials are in the right direction but they don't cover an awful lot of subjects. Dan Shafer's books also might serve this purpose if they are ever published and if they are available at reasonable cost (i.e. they should come in electronic form with the license fee).
All of this, of course, is just one person's opinion. Please note, I'm not complaining just to hear myself rant. I think RR is a great product, I will continue to use it and I hope it has wild success. I just think it would be more successful and certainly more useful if it were a little easier to step into. It is difficult to use even for experienced programmers and/or those coming to RR with a HyperCard background. The documentation as it exists does not make it easier.
(BTW, as an aside I join in Stephen's complaint about the sheet that advises that there are no matches in searching for documentation; it is very irritating trying to get rid of it if you manage to quickly type several characters past the last match).
Spence
James P. Spencer Rochester, MN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Badges?? We don't need no stinkin badges!"
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