On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 18:16, James Simmons <jim.simm...@walgreens.com> wrote: > My two cents: > > When I started programming computers 30+ years ago data was stored in > punch cards and reels of tape. Disk storage was available, but too > expensive to use to store large amounts of data. (I didn't hear the > word "gigabyte" until the late 80's). In classes at college I studied > database management systems. The book had ONE chapter on relational > databases. There was some question back then if one of these could > actually be built. > > For versioning of files we used something called a GDG (generation data > group). > > The first interactive computer system I got to use was VM. Everyone in > the system had the illusion of having a whole mainframe to himself. If > you wanted to send someone else some COBOL code you'd use the "spool > punch" command, because that was virtually like having the machine punch > up a deck of 80 column cards and handing that deck to the person. We > used fixed length records for most things, because there was no way to > make a variable length punched card. > > Later, at the same time I got my first PC, I also started programming > IBM's new AS400, which had libraries, files, and members. Everything on > the box had those three levels of hierarchy: no more, no less. > > Everything I have listed above is still in use today. Most of them > predate hierarchical folders. > > Now the thing about Sugar is that it is NOT about teaching the kid how > to use a computer. It's about teaching him everything, using the > computer to help. It's about teaching art with Colors, music with Tam > Tam, creative writing with Write, math with a whole bunch of Activities, > History, Language, and Literature with the various reading Activities, > etc. Learning about computers is in there too, with Pippy, etc. but > it's not the main focus. > > I think of the Journal as a DBMS that stores and organizes various kinds > of objects. Sure, it uses files and directories underneath but so does > a DBMS and nobody thinks of a DBMS that way except the guy who wrote it.
Nice write up ;) > The Journal is a real selling point for Sugar. My criticism of the > Journal is: > > 1). It doesn't live up to its potential. It should be MORE like it > already is. > 2). It should stop pretending that other ways of organizing files (on > thumb drives) are as good as it is. They are not. They are crude > visitors from a foreign land and should be treated as such. I agree with that, we have learned a lot during these past years and we have a clearer view of what is important to tackle next. If only days had more hours... Cheers, Tomeu > James Simmons > > > _______________________________________________ > Sugar-devel mailing list > Sugar-devel@lists.sugarlabs.org > http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/sugar-devel > _______________________________________________ Sugar-devel mailing list Sugar-devel@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/sugar-devel