Re: BlackBox guide for Dummies: Proposition

From: [at]} <Rex>
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 10:04:42 -0600

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        I second Bart van Wijck's proposal. You won't attact *anyone* to BlackBox without getting them started. At the very least you need a simple explanation of its virtues and how to get started. I can understand that the majority of correspondents, who have been using BlackBox for a long time, want the same thing based on some exaulted major commercial projects, but for everyone else you must start with basic programming "how to's". It's fair to assume that the target audience already knows how to program, but there are so many unusual features of BlackBox that there simply must be a readable guide.

        You could start by explaining just why programs are embedded in word-processing documents, and that to compile a program, one highlights the name of the module, or whatever. Then you might explain the usefulness of folded text, in writing readable code. I have not yet seen this feature mentioned in a meaningful way. If OMS had been really serious about presenting a marketable product, they should have read some successful manuals of the past (e.g. Turbo Pascal manuals) and made an equivalent effort.

        Just one caveat. For me, this comes years too late. Although I have watched Oberon with interest for years, hoping to use it, I have had to move on. Good luck with the manual.

Sincerely,
Rex Couture
--------------------------------------------

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Received on Mon Jan 26 2004 - 17:04:42 UTC