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[REBOL] Re: How-To promote REBOL?

From: greggirwin:mindspring at: 26-Dec-2001 12:07

Hi YekSoon, << I am thinking about REBOL but is wondering what will be the best approach to showcase REBOL and achieve maximum impact in a short 15 minutes presentation that will probably be followed by some Q&A. >> Here's what I did when I wanted to show people why I was proposing REBOL. I made sure they had a "clean" machine (i.e. without REBOL installed on it) and I told them that we should probably download REBOL since they had a fast internet connection, as that would probably be faster than loading it from floppy disk (have REBOL with you on a single floppy disk in case you need to prove that it's all there). /View downloaded in the blink of an eye on their system, and then I said Now, let's make sure it installed OK , and fired it up. I configured it quickly as I talked about REBOL being designed as a messaging language and how that applies to what they want to accomplish as well as how it fits in with the new "connected" world. They should be excited by how quickly and easily it installs. Next I went right to the demos section from the desktop and fired up V-Balls, Paint, and Gel. Making sure to show them how you can pull up the editor and see the source for any reblet on the desktop. Then I went to the Docs folder and showed them Ref-Words, Easy-VID, and Easy-Draw (take a little time to get familiar with them so you know exactly which parts you want to show off). My audience was impressed with the embedded executable sample code in Easy-VID and Easy-Draw. I went to the Sites folder on the desktop to show them what other REBOL users have published (pick some good, small, examples that you think will appeal to the various groups in your audience). Finally, I went to the Library folder to show them what kind of examples are out there (again, pick a few good examples ahead of time so you can go right to them during your presentation. Don't waste time searching for things. Be prepared). I was sure to mention how RT uses REBOL to help them do everything with a very small team. Their team of about 5 people builds REBOL for over 40 platforms, maintains their web site, provides technical support, and is constantly improving REBOL and creating new things like IOS. Make sure they know that the hardest part about having so little time is that you can't even begin to demonstrate its potential. Dialecting, built-in compression and encryption support, standard networking protocols, reflective capabilities, dynamic layouts, external library access, etc. The most important thing is to be prepared. Practice your demo as much as possible, saying the words out loud. This will help you to be less nervous. Another thing you can do is have a little demo script like this to help you with your timing. REBOL [ Title: "Demo Timer" ] start-time: now/time end-time: start-time + 0:15:00 view layout [ backdrop effect compose [gradient 0x1 (sky) (water)] across origin 5 banner "Time Remaining" banner 100 rate 1 feel [engage: func [face act evt] [ face/text: end-time - now/time show face ] ] ] Now, you can use that while you're practicing, so you'll know if you're staying on track, going faster or slower, or need to add or remove elements from your presentation. If you're feeling really confident, you can write the script "live" in front of your audience as part of your demonstration. If you want to do that, make sure you can write it from scratch, flawlessly, at *least* 20 times before doing your demo. Coding under the pressure of a live audience is hard enough. Introducing one little glitch can be embarrassing and ruin your entire demo. Don't do it unless you feel *extremely* confident about it. If you can pull it off, it can work very well. HTH! --Gregg