messages, messages

Richard Gaskin ambassador at fourthworld.com
Wed Feb 25 18:10:22 EST 2009


Mark Wieder wrote:

> Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 12:26:35 PM, you wrote: 
>> I am learning rev by rewriting my HC development tools.
> 
> Playing Devil's Advocate here, I'm not entirely sure this is a good
> idea. I did the same thing when I was first starting out, as I'm sure
> everyone making that transition did, and the unlearning process
> probably set me back quite a bit. With some of the early stacks I
> converted, I should have rewitten them from scratch instead of trying
> to do things the HC way.

Maybe it's not so bad, kinda like backpacking:  the most valuable 
lessons we learn are the ones that hurt the most. :)

Some who transition from car camping to backpacking can't resist putting 
their iron skillet in their pack.  10 miles later they learn the value 
of a small titanium pan.* :)  You can tell them before they go, but 
they'll often just say, "Heck, it can't be that bad" until they actually 
haul that iron over the mountain with their own two legs.

Maybe learning Rev As a Second Language is not too different:  if not 
for the earlier experience with HC some might not try Rev at all, and 
there's enough similarity that a good amount of what they move over will 
work with little or no modification.  You can offer a list of Do's and 
Don't's, but really the only ones that will be remembered in the long 
run are the ones that were forgotten this morning which gave them a 
headache.

There's just too much to know.  While some learning takes place in one's 
head, a lot of it takes place in the hands, by doing, typing, retyping, 
clicking the Trace button and scratching your head.  Learning is a 
full-contact sport.

Sure, some of it will be hard, and along the way there will be much 
unlearning.  But even unlearning is progress.  Making mistakes means 
experimentation is happening, and that's a good thing.  When I learn a 
new language my success is often measure by how many mistakes I'm making 
each day:  if I'm making only a few, I'm not putting in enough time. :)



* If you're ever looking for tasty one-pan recipes for the trail, this 
new book by an acquaintance of mine has completely upgraded my 
backcountry cuisine:  <http://www.aforkinthetrail.com/>.  Camp dining 
can be more than GORP. :)

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
  Revolution training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
  Webzine for Rev developers: http://www.revjournal.com



More information about the use-livecode mailing list