Dependence on Programming Experts

[Dan Shafer]

Judy....

I thnk the research is a tad mixed on the subject. I remember a wonderful
book back in the mid- to late 80's called "A Small Matter of Programming" by
Bonnie Nardi, an extremely bright researcher in end-user programming. Excel
macros -- which I'd argue are among the most obtuse "languages" on the
programming planet -- rate very high with inventive user programmers despite
their complete lack of English-like syntax or rationale.

I thnk your point in general is well taken but the exceptoins are
mind-blowing.

On 7/9/06, Judy Perry <jperryl at ecs.fullerton.edu> wrote:
>
> And, yet, the literature seems clear that the best languages for learning
> programming are those which are the simplest and employ natural-language
> where possible.  Those employing magical black-boxes are the least
> desirable/effective from a 'learning to program' standpoint.
>
> What is nice about Rev and has always been nice about Hypercard was what
> some may well consider 'stooping to kindergarten'-level:  enabling people
> to be minimally and comprehensibly successful with a minimal amount of
> time invested; and that such does indeed seem to encourage a further time
> investment.
>
> Judy
>
> On Wed, 5 Jul 2006, Stephen Barncard wrote:
>
> > Hey we program, and we use code. What's so technical about that?
> >
> > I don't think Rev has to stoop to kindergarten level either, nor
> > strive to be the buddy of non-technicals. Programming with a good
> > tool is by nature technical. At some point words have to be used to
> > describe things, and these words already exist.
> >
> > I'd hate to have to use terms like "put the white box in here and the
> > other one over there...."
>
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Dan Shafer, Information Product Consultant and Author
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