Changes

2. Scott has [http://cscott.net/junk/ta-broadway.png a compelling demo] of one reason we are moving to GTK-3: Sugar activities running in a browser. This is just one of many reasons for this effort. See [[Features/GTK3]] for a more detailed discussion.

2. Scott has [http://cscott.net/junk/ta-broadway.png a compelling demo] of one reason we are moving to GTK-3: Sugar activities running in a browser. This is just one of many reasons for this effort. See [[Features/GTK3]] for a more detailed discussion.

3. While I wasn't wrestling with Cairo, I let me self get distracted by another Turtle Blocks project that had been on my mind for quite some time. I wrote a new plugin for a Physics palette. This palette lets you create Box2d databases to be used with the Physics activity. You can use Turtle Blocks to create precision models. I also expose a number of Box2d object attributes that are not available with the standard Physics activity, including: density, friction, restitution (bounciness), variable torque and speed for motors, and filled polygonal objects. Details can be found on the [[Activities/TurtleArt/Plugins#Physics|Turtle Blocks plugin page]].[[File:TAGear.png|right|300px|link=Activities/TurtleArt/Plugins#Physics]]

 

3. While I wasn't wrestling with Cairo, I let me self get distracted by another Turtle Blocks project that had been on my mind for quite some time. I wrote a new plugin for a Physics palette. This palette lets you create Box2d databases to be used with the Physics activity. You can use Turtle Blocks to create precision models. I also expose a number of Box2d object attributes that are not available with the standard Physics activity, including: density, friction, restitution (bounciness), variable torque and speed for motors, and filled polygonal objects. Details can be found on the [[Activities/TurtleArt/Plugins#Physics|Turtle Blocks plugin page]].

Tony has written detailed instructions on [[Activities/TurtleArt/Plugins#How_to_install_a_plugin|how to install a Turtle Blocks plugin]]. But I find the mechanism too clumbsy for the typical user. I am tempted to create Turtle Physics as a separate activity. Please let me know what you think of the idea. Meanwhile, a decent plugin mechanism is sorely needed.

Tony has written detailed instructions on [[Activities/TurtleArt/Plugins#How_to_install_a_plugin|how to install a Turtle Blocks plugin]]. But I find the mechanism too clumbsy for the typical user. I am tempted to create Turtle Physics as a separate activity. Please let me know what you think of the idea. Meanwhile, a decent plugin mechanism is sorely needed.