Changes

I also wrote [http://git.sugarlabs.org/turtleart/mainline/blobs/master/samples/scratch.ta a simple sample program] (including in Turtle Blocks Version 108) that emulates some basic Scratch functionality in Turtle Blocks: animating a character sprite across a background image. The idea is to reveal the underlying mechanics of a typical Scratch experience. My hope is that it will make less opaque some of the black-box-like operators so popular in Scratch. I still struggle with the question of how to entice teachers and students to embrace programming through simple modifications to the programs they are using, which brings me to the next topic.

I also wrote [http://git.sugarlabs.org/turtleart/mainline/blobs/master/samples/scratch.ta a simple sample program] (including in Turtle Blocks Version 108) that emulates some basic Scratch functionality in Turtle Blocks: animating a character sprite across a background image. The idea is to reveal the underlying mechanics of a typical Scratch experience. My hope is that it will make less opaque some of the black-box-like operators so popular in Scratch. I still struggle with the question of how to entice teachers and students to embrace programming through simple modifications to the programs they are using, which brings me to the next topic.

2. I cleaned up my patches to the Sugar View-source mechanism: (1) Sugar platform source code can be viewed through the same mechanism as Sugar activity code; and (2) the source code can be copied to create an end-user modifiable version of any Sugar activity.

2. I cleaned up my patches to the [[Design_Team/Proposals/Toolbars/View-Source_Enhancements|Sugar View-source mechanism]]: (1) Sugar platform source code can be viewed through the same mechanism as Sugar activity code; and (2) the source code can be copied to create an end-user modifiable version of any Sugar activity.

The Sugar source code simply appears along side the activity source code, under a second radio button on the View Source toolbar.

The Sugar source code simply appears along side the activity source code, under a second radio button on the View Source toolbar.

My bigger conundrum is in regard to modifying the Sugar platform source. While it is as easy to modify as activity code, the consequences of making a mistake can be dire: Sugar could break in ways that prevent it from launching. One idea I am toying with is adding a prompt on start up to select which version of Sugar to run (from the system or from $HOME). Note: I'd only issue the prompt if a copy of Sugar was found in $HOME.

My bigger conundrum is in regard to modifying the Sugar platform source. While it is as easy to modify as activity code, the consequences of making a mistake can be dire: Sugar could break in ways that prevent it from launching. One idea I am toying with is adding a prompt on start up to select which version of Sugar to run (from the system or from $HOME). Note: I'd only issue the prompt if a copy of Sugar was found in $HOME.

Try out my patches, which were sent to the sugar-devel list. Further feedback would be appreciated.

Try out my patches, which were sent to the [http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2011-June/031693.html sugar-devel list]. Further feedback would be appreciated.

=== Sugar Labs ===

=== Sugar Labs ===