Well, I am looking at it and I will keep everyone posted if I make any progress, but I really won't feel bad if someone else wanted to take it on (or even better join in).
I am starting with the JHS system using Safari as my browser. Even though the lab .ijt files are text files which any version of J would read, some of the instructions to initiate events such as running video are dependent on the J environment being used, so that generalization across the different environments may be end up being a challenge. The first challenge is to get people to think that it is not a bad idea. :-) Cheers, bob On May 26, 2014, at 7:05 PM, Raul Miller <rauldmil...@gmail.com> wrote: > Does that mean you are volunteering to do the update? > > ;) > > Thanks, > > -- > Raul > > > > On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 8:56 PM, robert therriault > <bobtherria...@mac.com>wrote: > >> Hey Raul, >> >> Developing a tool that can be used to create labs as they are imagined now >> is mostly an update from the previous lab author, so most of the heavy >> lifting has been done. The next level is to come up with what labs might >> become; incorporating a number of communications methods that html5 makes >> available with an interface that reduces the overhead to lab creation. I >> would like to say it is the interface design that I find most difficult, >> but really the biggest challenge is personal time management. :-) >> >> Cheers, bob >> >> On May 26, 2014, at 5:21 PM, Raul Miller <rauldmil...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Keep in mind that my "don't like video" is limited - I *would* like it >>> under a variety of circumstances and I would not hesitate to recommend it >>> for some purposes. >>> >>> I'm not trying to say it's bad or anything. But I guess I do avoid it in >>> some contexts. >>> >>> Meanwhile, it can't be that hard to document the data format for labs. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> -- >>> Raul >>> >>> >>> >>> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 4:36 PM, robert therriault < >> bobtherria...@mac.com>wrote: >>> >>>> Hey Raul, >>>> >>>> 1) One of the advantages of scripted video is that there is a written >>>> artefact that could be included for search purposes. Similar to the way >>>> that SVG includes its text as searchable content as opposed to bitmaps >> of >>>> words on canvas. >>>> >>>> 2) This is a little trickier because it implicitly dives through the >>>> levels that we interact with video. The pixelmator video example was one >>>> that I was looking at as a viewer (because it is pretty) and as a >> content >>>> creator (by the way it conveyed information so efficiently). The level >> you >>>> are talking about is the level of the tool to create such a video or >> image. >>>> The reason that J doesn't have such a tool is probably because this >> level >>>> of UI is really difficult to get right and even when you do, the users >> may >>>> turn on you, such as when Apple introduced the new version of Final Cut >>>> Pro. Also, there may not be reasons for J to manipulate video in this >> way >>>> when there are other tools already available, but you already referred >> to >>>> this when you talked of bringing other tools such as Blender. >> Currently, I >>>> am taking a hard look at the labs feature in J to provide this type of >>>> glue. Amazingly, we lack a creation tool for labs in the newer versions >> of >>>> J and if there were a tool that would be >>>> worth building, I think that would be it. >>>> >>>> 3) In signing off (and even though you don't like video) I just opened a >>>> link to this orientation/welcoming tutorial produced by >> processing.orgthat also has content that involves the visual aspects and >> power of >>>> computer programming. Might be worth a look. >> http://hello.processing.org/ >>>> >>>> Cheers, bob >>>> >>>> On May 26, 2014, at 10:46 AM, Raul Miller <rauldmil...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I guess I have two thoughts looking at that: >>>>> >>>>> (1) I personally prefer reading over video. Video is really hard to >> find >>>>> using search, and it's slow to watch. >>>>> >>>>> (2) Why don't I know how to generate a UI like that, using J? >>>>> >>>>> Of course anything worth doing takes time, and I have to allow for >> that. >>>>> But video is particularly frustrating for me, also because I don't know >>>> how >>>>> to manipulate the raw underlying data in J. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Raul >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 1:23 PM, robert therriault < >>>> bobtherria...@mac.com>wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Thanks Raul, >>>>>> >>>>>> Another (albeit market driven) approach is the short video tutorial to >>>>>> describe use of a specific tooll. These short tutorials for the use of >>>>>> pixelmator software are good because they have actually provided very >>>>>> precise instruction on use of a tool in about a minute. The amount of >>>> time >>>>>> required to create these tutorials is even more than writing, as it >>>>>> includes video production, but the result is a just in time tutorial >>>> that >>>>>> does not feel too pedantic. >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.pixelmator.com/tutorials/featured/transform-tool/ >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers, bob >>>>>> >>>>>> On May 26, 2014, at 10:06 AM, Raul Miller <rauldmil...@gmail.com> >>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Writing decent tutorial documentation can be hard. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> So here's an example of how one guy who has written a fair amount of >>>>>>> documentation has approached things: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> http://www.xess.com/static/media/appnotes/FpgasNowWhatBook.pdf >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Personally, I'm not all that fond of pdf - I personally prefer >> working >>>>>> more >>>>>>> directly with the underlying medium. But everybody has to make their >>>> own >>>>>>> choices. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> Raul >>>>>>> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>>>> For information about J forums see >> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm >>>>>> >>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>>> For information about J forums see >> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm >>>>>> >>>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm >>>> >>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm >>>> >>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
