[linux-audio-user] Re: Squeak (was Software suitable for children)

[Cesare Marilungo]

Cesare Marilungo wrote:
> David Baron wrote:
>> Just installed it. A very creative but frustrating package. As with 
>> too many of these things, one must be able to read and that in 
>> English (or a few European languages?). Fine print abounds in what at 
>> first looks like a very sparse UI.
>>
>> The program abounds with objects and widgets. Some very creative and 
>> versatile, others frustratingly crude. Graphic objects like squares 
>> cannot be resized (nothing stops one from reprogramming them and then 
>> dutifully uploading the scalable versions for others to 
>> enjoy--smalltalk was once the rage.)
>>
>> Smalltalk 80 is, well, 26 years old. Before Unicode so is 
>> incompatable with mutlingual keyboard choices. No Hebrew for my 
>> daughter, not in UI and cannot type it in to text objects either. 
>> Truetype fonts (newer than smalltalk80) are beatutiful but they are 
>> also Unicode based nowadays.
>>
>> I think most kids would enjoy trying various widgets but run out of 
>> patience doing anything more with them. Most adults would as well.
>>
>> A model (allbeit not an audio app) for a program sutiable for 
>> children but versatile enough to be of interest to their parents as 
>> well: Tuxpaint. This one is superb and is also in use in many 
>> schools. (Also needs more languages in the UI!)
>>
>>
>>   
> Apart from Alan Kay himself 
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viewpoints_Research_Institute), take a 
> look at the Viewpoint Research Board of Advisors:
>
> http://www.viewpointsresearch.org/about.html
>
> John Perry Barlow, Vint Cerf, Richard Dawkins, Doug Engelbart, Marvin 
> Minsky, Nicholas Negroponte, Seymour Papert and so on.
>
> Doesn't any of these names ring a bell? Anyway, at VR, they're using 
> and continuing the development of squeak.
>
> Did you know that you're making ridicule of a big chunk of the history 
> of informatics?
>
> Ciao,
>
> c.
>
Sorry. I've been harsh in my reply, with no true reasons to do so.

I should have just said that maybe you've to give it another try. Or 
investigate a bit more on the project.

Sorry again.

c.

-- 
http://www.cesaremarilungo.com