pjd@alpha.ces.cwru.edu (dr. funk) (03/03/89)
Concerning HyperCard and courseware development .....
I am putting the last touches on a set of six stacks that are a
short course on VLSI design and modelling. The stacks take a computer
design from the instruction set down to the transistors and wires.
Tutorial information on functional and transistor level behavior,
fabrication process, etc. is included.
This project is taking one heck of a lot of work. I started roughly
at the beginning of September '88 and am now getting finished. (This
is modulo the other professor stuff ya gotta do.) However, 300
cards later, I wonder what I got myself into!
HyperCard is a good courseware tool. Most of my effort went into
writing the material, drawing diagrams, doing some scans, etc. There
ain't a courseware tool in existence which is going to make me instantly
productive/efficient. We have a long way to go to the best development
tool, but I wouldn't unnecessarily downgrade HyperCard.
[Master arm on....]
Many people don't know what the heck "hypertext" is or even good
courseware.
[Fox one fox one...]
Especially ComputerWorld reviewers. They probably sat down and PLAYED with
HyperCard. But lacking the application material and time, couldn't possibly
write an accurate review. Or try it out on students.
[Good hit, good hit....]
[Let's unload and get out of here!]
paul j. drongowski usenet: {decvax,sun,att}!cwjcc!pjd!pjd
case western reserve university csnet: pjd@alpha.ces.cwru.edumithomas@bsu-cs.UUCP (Michael Thomas Niehaus) (03/03/89)
In article <533@cwjcc.CWRU.Edu>, pjd@alpha.ces.cwru.edu (dr. funk) writes: > > Concerning HyperCard and courseware development ..... [] > This project is taking one heck of a lot of work. I started roughly > at the beginning of September '88 and am now getting finished. (This > is modulo the other professor stuff ya gotta do.) However, 300 > cards later, I wonder what I got myself into! It seems to me that any project that you start seems simple at first, but by the time you are finished, it is a large piece of work. It is this way with software (it does't take much study in software engineering to show this), and I'm sure that the same holds true for courseware projects. But if advanced planning is put into the project (the "analysis phase") you will start to see just how much the project could involve. From the sound of it, you did put quite a bit of work into your project, which just goes to show that it is difficult even with a good analysis to show how much work will be involved. > HyperCard is a good courseware tool. Most of my effort went into > writing the material, drawing diagrams, doing some scans, etc. There > ain't a courseware tool in existence which is going to make me instantly > productive/efficient. We have a long way to go to the best development > tool, but I wouldn't unnecessarily downgrade HyperCard. HyperCard is a great tool. It has really raised interest in a new category of developement: hypertext. > Many people don't know what the heck "hypertext" is or even good > courseware. I must admit that I don't know fully what 'hypertext' actually is. It seems to be something that is best explained by example and not definition. If anyone has a good definition, send it to me. > Especially ComputerWorld reviewers. They probably sat down and PLAYED with > HyperCard. But lacking the application material and time, couldn't possibly > write an accurate review. Or try it out on students. Yeah! I think the best a reviewer can do is to either a) spend a year learning HyperCard and HyperTalk, or b) look at all of the examples that are out there. It doesn't look like ComputerWorld did either. > paul j. drongowski usenet: {decvax,sun,att}!cwjcc!pjd!pjd > case western reserve university csnet: pjd@alpha.ces.cwru.edu -Michael Niehaus -- Michael Niehaus UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!mithomas Apple Student Rep ARPA: mithomas@bsu-cs.bsu.edu Ball State University AppleLink: ST0374 (from UUCP: st0374@applelink.apple.com)