[Edu-sig] re: Question about a programming system.

[Arthur_Siegel@rsmi.com]

Benjamin Fallenstein <b.fallenstein@gmx.de> on 01/05/2001 08:57:40 AM
To: Arthur Siegel/NewYork/MP/RSMi@RSMi
cc: edu-sig@python.org 
Subject: Re: [Edu-sig] re: Question about a programming system.




>I can't say anything about Alice menuing yet (haven't found anything
>related to it), but about PovTalk. (At least about the comparison to the
>notes about my programming system experiment.) PovTalk let's you *key
>in* statements in natural language, 

I believe I understand, in broad terms at least, why none of the apps I cited 
are greatly on point
to what you are trying to accomplish.

What I don't understand is why Alice is.  Nor apparentlyt do you, yet.

What I would say is that one of the greaqt challenges you face is achieving 
simplicity and
accessibility while avoiding condescension.

Looked at it aestthetically, rather than technically,  Python achieves this 
wonderfully. Alice, for
whatever else it might accomplish (and I admit I'm even missing that) fails 
miserably. 

I see Python|Alice as a monstrous aesthetic clash.  Which is why I persist in 
seeking an
explanation from Guido on what he sees and I miss.