[REBOL] Re: Development rebol scripts on Linux
From: tim-johnsons:web at: 17-Nov-2007 10:59
On Saturday 17 November 2007, Carl Read wrote:
> On Friday, 16-Novenber-2007 at 7:50:39 Tim Johnson wrote,
>
> >Nothing beats the interactivity of a console tho'.
> >I am (I think) the first person to develop an interactive
> >class on programmer using rebol. My great frustration
> >was that the students students wanted the "bells and whistles" -
> >i.e. drag-and-drop, all kinds of windows popping up and
> >plenty of other stimulus and were not able to concentrate
> >on small discreet portions of code.
> >
> ><rant>IMHO this is one of the reasons that my
> >county (USA) is losing programming jobs - to much
> >desire for stimulus on the part of younger generations.
> ></rant>
>
> The kids are aways right Tim - never forget that! ;-)
>
> And they have a point. They might not know how to say it, but they'd
> instinctively know that it'd be much easier and faster to create a GUI
> using point & click than by typing. A mouse & GUI will have been the only
> way 90% of them have ever got things done on a computer, since that's been
> the default interface on personal computers for over 20 years now.
It is not a matter of being *right* or *wrong* it's about a mindset.
One has *got* to be able to focus on algorithms.
BTW1: I came to rebol from C++ builder with a background in combining
drag-and-drop with coding.
I'm well aware of the economics. JKG might have suggested that the world
needs a global monetary standard to level the playing field, but that
is beyond me.
I stand by my contention that you have to be able to free onself from the
temptation of high stimulus to really use your imagination.
Look at what Einstein did - and a lot of what he came up with happened
when he was hiking in the Alps.
I grew up on a farm,, most of my family still farms and I've done my share
of bushwhacking and subsistance living. Amazing ideas have come out
of the austere life led on the central plains of the North American
continent. And other rural open environments as well.
The local electric utility routinely train their CAD staff in a special class
that emphasis the keyboard. They claim that it gives a 30% increase of
productivity over relying solely on the pointing device.
I use emacs for coding rebol. I primarily use the keyboard, with the mouse
as needed and where it works best. Comparing this environment to coding
in C++ builder is like comparing a sportscar to a truck. Of course trucks
have their place but since I am a single coder instead of part of a team, this
works best for me.
Nice arguing with you. :-)
Did you know that J.K. Galbraith and William F. Buckley were best friends?
WFB describes JKG as his "dearest friend" - think of the arguments they
must have had.
Regards
Tim
