The "Microsoft office" approach to xTalk programming

[Mathewson]

The point about RR being like this is valid - especially
for people who have been digging into the depths of xTalk
since Hypercard days. 

However there are a few things to consider:-

1.  While I am 41 and started off in 1975 punching holes in
Hollerith cards, banging my head on the wall, and generally
doing the 'British Thing' of making life as difficult as
possible for myself not everybody is like me (for a start
quite a lot are younger) in the following respects:

1.1  They are younger,
1.2  They have been introduced to computing via the
     "Microsoft office" type interface
1.3  They don't like banging their heads on walls - they  
     want a quick-and-easy solution and they want it NOW.

2.  xTalk evangelism:

2.1  if we really want more people and new blood to come 
     into the xTalk field we need to cater to their needs
     and likes and dislikes (my 11 year-old finds the 
     standard MC interface confusing enough to make him
     completely uninterested).

I do agree with the comments about the way the RR people
have tried to 'protect' parts of the xTalk experience (my
e-mails in August/September on the RR user list raised
loads of hackles) - and I think the RR toolbar leaves a lot
to be desired: I have opted for an increased "Microsoft
Office" toolbar (find it on my website) as I believe (like
the "MSO" approach or not) that this will make xTalk more
accessible to new programmers.  The brigade who wish to be
all hairy-chested and think of themselves as "Real
Programmers" - as opposed to us LEGO-builders - are welcome
to go on using the awkward MC interface if they wish.

My argument is largely based on watching lots of MScIT
students at Abertay University who have no prior experience
of programming trying to get their heads round the jolly
Visual Basic toolbar and coding.  

Luckily for us the people at RR eat their own haggis rather
than Microsoft's standardised, slightly inferior oven-ready
version - and, what is more, they do allow us to muck
around with a considerable amount of the haggis: which,
frankly, most companies (including Uncle Bill's) won't let
us do without slapping legal injunctions on us and so
forth.

I hope that interested parties will download my 'REVTOOLS
HACK' try it out with RR and then return to this user-list
(or the RR one) and offer all sorts of criticism (both
negative and positive) because it is this sort of debate
that drives things forwards.

Best regards, Richmond Mathewson
__________________________________________________
See Mathewson's software at:

http://members.maclaunch.com/richmond/default.html    and
http://www.runrev.com/Revolution1/developercentral/usercontributions.html
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