Post by Tim Penrose on Apr 3, 2006 10:19:28 GMT -5
As you all know, I am a for-hire developer. When work comes, work comes. I won’t bore everyone with the details.
The important thing is that I have not given up on Novo Libera. Not even slightly.
Most recently, I had implemented the new tabbing mechanism and was working on the window-layout persistence (application coming up in the same state it was last exited).
As you may know, NL is being designed to create/render various outputs, so that content is optimally reusable. It is important to me to use NL for ITSELF as much as possible. Thus, I want the mechanism for producing Help Files in place so that NL’s Help Files are created using NL. For individual developers like myself, this is a way to increase the amount of “testing” that is performed.
I have done contract work that will eventually be put into NL. I have now mostly implemented the “adapter” classes which will allow NL to run under SqlServer. I have written a persistence framework that will eventually be adopted to run NL, but also be the mechanism used by users “behind the scenes” when they are creating NL documents….
I’m not sure if people fully understand what NL is… I’ve been very abstract… And wordy… So I’m going to limit myself to a one paragraph summary to continue my attempt to define the application, for my own benefit as much as for (potential future) user’s benefit:
To be sure, the first thing it will become is an evolution of Keynote. The long term philosophy that I am working towards is a system of expression that blurs the line between traditional writing/communication and programming… Traditional writing puts much of the burden of utilization on the READER, whereas programming puts much of the burden on the WRITER… A book is a “PASSIVE” document because the READER is responsible for the effort of applying it to his/her purpose. Software is “ACTIVE” in that it is interactive; it works towards applying information towards a purpose. Software turns READERs into PARTICIPANTs. I believe the future of communication is found in technologies that allow READERS to PARTICIPATE without increasing the WRITER’s burden. Be careful to have an inclusive concept of “Readers” which also considers those that write something for their own benefit, such as what KeyNote is primarily intended (my presumption, not the KeyNote author’s). When one writes “content”, they shouldn’t need to be concerned with the ways in which it will be used. I.e. they shouldn’t presuppose it as a word document, a web page, a help document/system, computer application, etc. They should be completely free to express the information they posses, without concern for how the READER will apply that information. “But software is INTERACTIVE because programming languages make a WRITER more capable of expression by increasing the WRITER’s vernacular.”…. Yes… That’s it… So if we increase the READER’s vernacular (ie, reduce the burden of programming such that it becomes a tool of the READER), then we blend the lines between READER and WRITER… A READER increases his/her vernacular as a natural consequence of utilizing “content”, and can then apply those skills when they take the role as WRITER… Thus producing a synergistic effect. Reading provides the basis for becoming a writer… Using software should provide the basis for becoming a developer….
How’s that for a paragraph… Sad, I know…
Okay.. One sentence…
I want to extend the vernacular of common expression such that users can naturally become developers as a natural consequence of utilizing someone else’s interactive content…
Timeframe: I assert the same thing I did last time. Amount of work left is small. It could be tomorrow or two months. It won't be tomorrow because I have to do my taxes. It could be two weeks until "beta" release.
Thanks,
Tim
The important thing is that I have not given up on Novo Libera. Not even slightly.
Most recently, I had implemented the new tabbing mechanism and was working on the window-layout persistence (application coming up in the same state it was last exited).
As you may know, NL is being designed to create/render various outputs, so that content is optimally reusable. It is important to me to use NL for ITSELF as much as possible. Thus, I want the mechanism for producing Help Files in place so that NL’s Help Files are created using NL. For individual developers like myself, this is a way to increase the amount of “testing” that is performed.
I have done contract work that will eventually be put into NL. I have now mostly implemented the “adapter” classes which will allow NL to run under SqlServer. I have written a persistence framework that will eventually be adopted to run NL, but also be the mechanism used by users “behind the scenes” when they are creating NL documents….
I’m not sure if people fully understand what NL is… I’ve been very abstract… And wordy… So I’m going to limit myself to a one paragraph summary to continue my attempt to define the application, for my own benefit as much as for (potential future) user’s benefit:
To be sure, the first thing it will become is an evolution of Keynote. The long term philosophy that I am working towards is a system of expression that blurs the line between traditional writing/communication and programming… Traditional writing puts much of the burden of utilization on the READER, whereas programming puts much of the burden on the WRITER… A book is a “PASSIVE” document because the READER is responsible for the effort of applying it to his/her purpose. Software is “ACTIVE” in that it is interactive; it works towards applying information towards a purpose. Software turns READERs into PARTICIPANTs. I believe the future of communication is found in technologies that allow READERS to PARTICIPATE without increasing the WRITER’s burden. Be careful to have an inclusive concept of “Readers” which also considers those that write something for their own benefit, such as what KeyNote is primarily intended (my presumption, not the KeyNote author’s). When one writes “content”, they shouldn’t need to be concerned with the ways in which it will be used. I.e. they shouldn’t presuppose it as a word document, a web page, a help document/system, computer application, etc. They should be completely free to express the information they posses, without concern for how the READER will apply that information. “But software is INTERACTIVE because programming languages make a WRITER more capable of expression by increasing the WRITER’s vernacular.”…. Yes… That’s it… So if we increase the READER’s vernacular (ie, reduce the burden of programming such that it becomes a tool of the READER), then we blend the lines between READER and WRITER… A READER increases his/her vernacular as a natural consequence of utilizing “content”, and can then apply those skills when they take the role as WRITER… Thus producing a synergistic effect. Reading provides the basis for becoming a writer… Using software should provide the basis for becoming a developer….
How’s that for a paragraph… Sad, I know…
Okay.. One sentence…
I want to extend the vernacular of common expression such that users can naturally become developers as a natural consequence of utilizing someone else’s interactive content…
Timeframe: I assert the same thing I did last time. Amount of work left is small. It could be tomorrow or two months. It won't be tomorrow because I have to do my taxes. It could be two weeks until "beta" release.
Thanks,
Tim