The future of LiveCode

[Potts Jeff]

I'm late to the discussion, but my experience is that a proper set of
tutorials and user manual need to be in place to attract new users.

I have found like other commenters that the documentation and
knowledge is all over the place and is not unified enough to make
solving a problem more efficient. Specifically, the database
information is spread all over the place and the examples produced by
the folks at LiveCode are incomplete and fail to give the user a
complete "real World" solution example. For instance, anyone coming
from Filemaker is instantly unable to create a basic functioning
relational database. Sure SQLite is a great product, however, trying
to create lookup/relational join is nearly impossible since the
required knowledge is buried so deep in the forums that it took me
over a month to find it, and then, not even an example of how to make
it work.

Another daunting aspect is the lack of example files that FULLY and
COMPLETELY solve a problem in a fashion that illustrates to the new
user the basic concepts. My example is the VIdeo Library db solution.
Its CRAP! Show the user the interface parts, show the user the
database aspects . . . and ACTUALLY show a real solution file. Then
link the interface to the db using the scripting language.

I also am displeased by the inability to download the pdf's associated
with the LiveCode Lessons. I work off the grid a lot and cannot access
the internet for days at a time, but I want the reference materials at
hand. Sure I can download pdf's one at a time. . . .a real solution is
to allow the user to select the solution documents they want, zip them
up and download the package locally. Its a hell of a lot easier to
search the pdf's using copernic search to find the details you need
which a buried in the pdf's.

Yes I think the video tutorials are a good thing, but again, I cannot
download them to my local machine not is there sufficient
documentation to go along with them.

Finally, LiveCode could benefit from designing materials using plain
english, step by step instructions to solving basic problems for
newbies. Again, don't make assumptions that newbies are able to make
the leap after you bring them to the precipice.

I consult for small non-profits who want to make the jump from
Filemaker to something more advanced but not a full blown system
requiring full time employees. I have yet to have one group accept my
recommendation to go with LiveCode because that cannot get a volunteer
to sufficiently understand the database aspects of LiveCode. This is a
shame because these groups could really benefit from the flexibility
of LiveCode.

THX

Jeff Potts

On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 4:07 PM, Richard Gaskin
<ambassador at fourthworld.com> wrote:
> Kevin Miller wrote:
>>
>> In the mean time, have you tried the Business Academy? It is our 4th
>> "revision" of the Academy concept and has been the most successful by far
>> at providing the information new (and even existing) users need in
>> bite-sized chunks.
>
>
> +100
>
> I've recommended the Business Academy to many friends and clients, and each
> one of them has told me it's been very valuable indeed.
>
>
> --
>  Richard Gaskin
>  Fourth World
>  LiveCode training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
>  Webzine for LiveCode developers: http://www.LiveCodeJournal.com
>  Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/FourthWorldSys
>
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