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<div><font color="#000000">I hesitate to enter this discussion. I have
so little feel for the market.<br>
<br>
However, on a personal level, I think a good book on RunRev is the
best thing that could happen right now. Certainly the product is
sufficiently mature that it is truly ready for prime time. It has gone
far beyond HyperCard in speed of execution, breadth of coverage and
variety of platforms.</font><br>
<font color="#000000"></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">I first became interested in xTalk
programming through HC. And I doubt that would have happened had it
not been for the Winkler-Kamins-DeVoto book. I thought it was just
brilliant. A perfect blend of theory (about a hundred pages) and
extensive examples. I agree fully with Richard that the best teacher
is experience. But a good example is experience
on-a-stick.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">I taught Physics for 30 years, and although
I had a passion for the theory, I always knew, deep down, that the
only way to get through to students was through meaningful examples
and penetrating homework.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br>
(By the way, my real interest in HC then, and RR now, is in education.
I think the time will come when programming is taught routinely in
High School and x-Talk is the ideal vehicle for the High School
student. There is certainly a book needed there. It would be aimed at
students interested in science--there are a dozen students who pursue
a science career for every one that becomes an application
programmer. Programming is mostly about algorithms-schemes-and
less about implementation and so the language chosen for the beginning
programmer is the one which facilitates though and not one which is
CPU friendly. But it is very difficult to break through the inertia of
the entrenched High School curriculum. Trouble is, the teacher who
might initiate a HS course would be one with a background in
programming and not in the sciences. As you see I have a real bias
here. My apologies; I suspect that the majority on this list has quite
a different bent.)</font><br>
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<div><font color="#000000">Right now, this list fills the book void,
and it does so brilliantly. But there are many questions that users
don't know to ask (I'm sure I have no idea what RR is truly capable
of) or are too embarrassed, despite the grace with which newbie
question are handled..</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">I think RR is more than half-way there with
its excellent documentation. Add a little theory (100 pages), and
follow with the existing dictionary but *add useful example scripts*
to the definitions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br>
True, it would couldn't cover everything and it would soon become
outdated. But an on-line addendum could help to solve these
problems.</font><br>
<font color="#000000"></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">I cannot begin to imagine the effort and
imagination that has created this product, beginning with the concept
in HC, on to the expansion with MC, now the polish of RR. RR is ready
for prime time. And "RunRev 2.0, The Book" would make
that announcement.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br>
Jim</font></div>
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