[starlogo-users] Bit stunned there is so little traffic on this list!

[Chuck Flink]

Hello!

I've used StarLOGO to teach rudimentary programming to a dozen middle-school kids.  I was an after-school volunteer; they enjoyed it and so did I!  I think there is much promise in StarLOGO, but much more can be done.... But:

I'm rather stunned that I see virtually no traffic on this list.  What am I missing?

>From a "retired computer scientist" point of view, my major gripe is the primitive nature of LOGO, leaving me little "growth path" for the kids once they master the basics and start exploring.  Of course, that view may be colored by too many years programming in real-world languages, or an imagination that be growing a bit old and tired.

Here is what I'd like to see:

- the implementation of the commands/objects should be "expose-able" allowing drill down into the implementation;
- this should be done so that the language becomes readily extensible by the students, adding features, options, etc.;
- the "real" programming language exposed would provide a growth path, allowing the students to evolve cleanly into real-world programming after learning the concepts playing with StarLOGO.

This extensibility and open-source would enable an evolution of StarLOGO over time with volunteer programmers.

Strategy:

I'd like to undertake rewriting StarLOGO in C#, a richer and better designed extensible language that shares the "run in a browser sandbox" advantages of Java.  The objects and commands in StarLOGO would be implemented as C# objects and methods with a veneer that allows it to provide the basic look and feel of StarLOGO as it exists today, but supporting the ability of users to "drill down" and see the underpinning in C# as well as providing extensions and enhancements in C#.

The source should be fully available and self-documenting taking advantage of C#'s features in that regard.  I'd lean heavily upon the MONO implementation of C# to allow maximum Java/C# interplay during development.  Further, all of MONO is GNU licensed with the source readily available.  http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page<http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page> 

Am I crazy?  ...or is there someone out there interested in revitalizing / remodeling StarLOGO this way?

Or is something like what I want already developed in another teaching IDE?  If so, please suggest.

- Chuck Flink  Chuck_Flink at hotmail.com<mailto:Chuck_Flink at hotmail.com>
---------
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://education.mit.edu/pipermail/starlogo-users/attachments/20050806/34338a0c/attachment.htm