Re: FLASH: A teacher wonders why ActionScript tutorials "bite"

[Cheri Harder]

I see where you are, Tom, but let me add a comment from a geek, if I may?

If I had the time and inclination (and I might have the inclination, but

probably not the time, nor the know-how of writing tutorials) I don't think

I

would know where to start.  As a "geek" so to speak (and a poetic one at

that) I have been studying "variables" and "While Loops" and Cursors and

Case and If..then..else for 12 years.  It would be difficult to know where

to start in a tutorial.  Do you start from "this is what a variable is" or

do you assume they know some programming terminoligy?  How much do you

assume?  Nothing?  Then each and every tutorial would be a book and a half?

Action Script is not really a language, even.  But it makes some use of some

"basic" programming theory and we are learning daily how to adapt what it

DOES do into what we NEED it to do.  And there are "basic programming"

tutorials all over the place.


I've never been a teacher, and it very easy for me to get into the rut of

assuming my listeners know what I'm talking about, when it is so much a part

of my life that I can't imagine someone NOT knowing.  Teaching is easier for

you, because that's what you do, and I'm sure you do it very well!!!

Tutorials written for geeks by geeks helps us geeks and are appreciated very

much (I don't know anybody who gets paid for writing them, maybe some do)

but I think we're all still learning, yes?


Meanwhile, while I was trying really hard to compose this, Eric has sent out

a great response!  Thank you, Eric!


~~~~Cheri Harder~~~~~

charderawsolution [dot] com

Advantage Web Solution

"Developing your internet storefront"

www.awsolution.com

----- Original Message -----

From: "Tom Green" <

tgreen17home [dot] com

>

To: "Flash" <

flasherchinwag [dot] com

>

Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 9:41 PM

Subject: FLASH: A teacher wonders why ActionScript tutorials "bite"



> I had lunch today with a fellow member of this list and it quickly

> degenerated into a whining session regarding ActionScrpt tutorials.

>

> The bottom line was : Why are actionscript tutorials are generally

> written for geeks by geeks?


...followed by some more excellent comments!




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