[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] Date Index Thread Index Search archive:
Date:Sun, 25 Apr 2004 04:38:31 -0500 
Subject:Re: Visual C++ toolkit 
From:not 
Volume-ID: 

Nico Aragón wrote:-
> A good new for Poplog development: Microsoft releases for free its C++
> compiler without the IDE.
 
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=272BE09D-40BB-49FD-9CB0-4BFA122FA91B&displaylang=en
> 
> Now, there's no need to buy Visual C to rebuild Poplog for Windows
> from scratch.
-----

Jonathan L Cunningham wrote:-
....[snip]..
> 
> It's also a reason to do more work on making Poplog itself more
> convenient as an IDE for C++ development -- at one point I was
> using it for editing C++ code to be compiled by the (free) gnu C++
> command-line compiler on *nix platforms. But it's a lot of work
> to add all the typical IDE features we now take for granted.
> 
> Short list:
>   (1) compilation errors in an output window, click on the error and
>   it takes you to the correct line of source code.
>   (2) Class browser: left-click takes you to the declaration, right-click
>   takes you to the definition (or something equally convenient)
>   (3) syntax colouring
> 
The User-Interface must be the most important factor re. productivity;
especially for the casual user.

Apparently human-computer-interface (HCI) is a branch related to
psychology, cog-science, AI ...etc, which would have all the answers
[I haven't even seen the correct questions posed yet].

As one who's background [hardware] is from the opposite 'side',
 I'm very disappointed and confused that poplog [and soar] 
have so little to say about HCI.

I've never had access to "visual <tools>" [ and my news:comp.lang.visual
is 'empty'], but I'm guessing that Visual C, in so far as it is successful
is based on:
1. you don't remenber; you just pick stuff which you recognise;
2. you pick as large as possible pieces - eg. tokens or constructs, instead
      of characters.

These  IMO are the essentials which made the first [and never surpasssed]
killer-aps: the menu-driven spread-sheets, Norton commanders [and
its linux clone] ...etc.
      
If the 'soft-side': psychology, cog-science ...etc; would adopt rigorous
methods of the 'hard-side' and take a unified approach - ie. an 
integrated design [poplog has evolved to be an unmanageable monster]
- then a powerful visusal tool-set could result.

Ie. don't think about Visusal/IDE for C++;
think about general Visusal/IDE for ALL computing jobs.

Use a unified, top-down, rigorous approach to make a universal
[as much as possible - to amortise the cost] tool, instead of 
ad. hoc adding on to already bloated poplog.

Of course ved already has much which is required, but it's evolved
for the familiar user.     I'm guessing that successful "visual XYZ",
doesn't need reading the manuals ?

== Chris Glur.