Describing LiveCode

Richmond richmondmathewson at gmail.com
Wed Aug 12 02:55:28 EDT 2015


On 12/08/15 05:55, Kay C Lan wrote:
> Richmond,
>
> My advise is similar to Peter, William and Jacque's, but more blunt!
>
> First ask how many of these parents know how to set up a Facebook page,
> send a Tweet, interact with Instagram, send a message on SnapChat, change
> the ringtone on their phone on a per individual basis and even block
> certain incoming phone calls based on who it is and what the time is. When
> their eye's glaze over and it's clear that the vast majority of them don't
> use social media or bother with these features on the smart phone then
> point out that their children do. Make it quite clear that the parents are
> dinosaurs and their ideas of what programming is about is way out dated and
> leading their children to coding extinction*. Let them know that their
> children a growing up in a rapidly changing technology environment and need
> a technology/programming language that is equally as rapid at keeping pace
> with this change.

Unfortunately the parents I have to deal with will think that I am 
insulting them when I say
this sort of thing.

>
> Ask their parents if their children are like them, do they have boundless
> patience, do they sit down with an Airfix model and spend hours and hours
> meticulously preparing the parts so they fit perfectly. Appropriate parts
> are painted in several coats over several days because each coat is allowed
> to dry fully before the next is applied. Then the parts are carefully glued
> together and then finally finished off with the last coats of paint and the
> application of transfers. OR, do their children prefer to play 1st person
> shootem-ups and are easily bored if anything takes longer than about 2 min
> 13 sec? Ask the parents how long it took them to write their first 'real'
> program (Hello World doesn't count).
>
> LiveCode is a Rapid Development program highly suited to today's
> environment not only allowing the rapid development of applications but
> also keeping pace with the ever changing platform/capabilities now and in
> the future.
>
> Tried to find that video of Kevin writing an app in a couple of minutes -
> it picked the Lucky Door prize winner. But I couldn't find it on the
> website.
>
> As for why learn LiveCode now when their children are going to learn a real
> programming language later on, this is a completely fallacious in that
> assumes that their children have any interest at all in programming. On the
> other side of the coin is the possibility that they might in fact be
> learning LiveCode in the future: https://livecode.com/gracemount
> -high-school/
>
> * Note the inference that classic languages are perceived by students as
> boring and can do more to turn students off.
>
> As you are in Scotland it should also be pointed out that the Scottish
> Schools using a product from a Scotland based company should be something
> your parents should be wholeheartedly supporting.

I am in Bulgaria, and have been running my school here for 10 years.

>
> What is true is that if their children are going to develop any kind of
> interest in programming, and go on to desire to pursue a coding profession,
> then having learnt LC isn't going to be a detriment, the principles learnt
> will stand them in good stead should they decide to try C#, C++, C or even
> go on an archaeological dig and try FORTRAN or Assembly.
>
> So, for those few children (not the parents) who actually do have a real
> desire to learn coding, then LC will kindle that fire; anything else will
> be like throwing logs on the smouldering embers and do nothing but smother
> the fire.

That has already become clear with the kids who have worked with me on 
LiveCode.

>
> Definitely visit the LiveCode stories pages (
> https://livecode.com/livecode-stories/
> ) and along with the Landsat story, pick a few more. There seem to be a few
> educational orientated ones that support the notion that LC with kindle the
> fire.
> _______________________________________________
>

Richmond.




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