Open Source Kickstarter Report Card

Richmond richmondmathewson at gmail.com
Tue Aug 18 08:33:26 EDT 2015


On 18/08/15 03:13, Richard Gaskin wrote:
> RunRevPlanet wrote:
>
> > Richard Gaskin wrote:
> >> RunRevPlanet wrote:
> >>> I understand that things take longer than expected, but when I read
> >>> the Kickstarter Campaign it is clear that the new IDE is a core
> >>> part of the next generation. It is not a stretch goal, and is
> >>> repeatedly emphasised as a core part of the project.
> >>
> >> Why?
> >
> > Why do I care about a new IDE, because I know programmers who won't
> > use LiveCode because of it. Sure, that is their loss and they miss
> > out on the wonderful tool that is the xTalk language and LiveCode.
> >
> > But the fact remains that the way a new IDE was a core feature of
> > Kickstarter Campaign acknowledges that:
> >
> >  1. The current IDE is less than beautiful.
> >  2. The current IDE is not designed around today’s usability standards.

I'd be interested to know where one can find these "usability 
standards", and by whom they are authorised to
be 'standards' - personally I think "today's usability standards" is 
another of those essentially empty phrases
used to bully people.

If by "today's usability standards" it is meant that LiveCode's IDE has 
to look like all the other IDEs out there, then it is
time for everybody to standard up and say "Cheese!" together, as the 
great thing about LiveCode is that IT IS NOT
THE SAME as all the other IDEs out there, and nor should it be.

> Being new will only guarantee that it's new, not necessarily that it 
> will improve the workflow.

"improve the workflow" - Ooo, another load of old testicles - I wonder 
who actually has "a workflow"?

Surely one works the way one works (inefficiently, in my case)  - the 
IDE is, after all, just the icing
on the cake, and, well, yes, the Metacard IDE does leave a bit to be 
desired (and, Lo! Kevin worked that out donkey's
years ago, and we have been through 2 fairly similar LiveCode IDEs).

Now, as the LiveCode IDE is a bit like LEGO, i.e. it is made up of bits 
and pieces that fit together, one can "monkey around with it"
as much as one wants to end up with a GUI one likes (I know, I've 
monkeyed, and anyone is welcome to one of my bananas), so
the need for a "new" IDE/GUI is a bit unclear.
>
> What usability standards do you feel are not well reflected in the 
> current IDE, and if Kevin made you IDE Czar tomorrow what are the 
> first three things you'd do to fix that?
>

If Kevin made me IDE Czar I would suggest a series of online pages to 
explain the current IDE far rather than make a new one.

But, much as Kevin may love me (?????), he is not going to make me IDE 
Cazr, nor would I want that job.

The 'problem' is "that picture" linked with a promise. One cannot put 
the daemons back in Pandora's box.

Kevin and Co. must be cursing under their collective breath about that 
picture.

What MIGHT solve the 'problem' is a wee guide on how to muck around with 
the IDE/GUI so one can make a bespoke version
should one so wish.

Personally I just make the menuBar and the toolBar black with white text.

Richmond.




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