[General] Handles on objects deprecated

[Dan Ingalls]

Hi, Dick -

>>You should have quite some fun firing up the latest LK as per my 
>>earlier message.
>>
>>http://livelykernel.sunlabs.com/repository/lively-kernel/trunk/source/kernel/index.xhtml
>>         (click OK in the huge error notices)
>>
>>You will find a '*use pie menus*'  item
>
>Great!
>
>  in the world menu
>
>What is that, and how do I get it, and what does it look like so I 
>can tell when I got it?

You get it by clicking where there are no objects on the screen, and 
with the alt key pressed (on non-Macs, it may require a different 
control key).  It looks like...


We are in the process of producing a tutorial entirely in the Lively 
Kernel.  It should lead you carefully through each necessary step.  I 
wrote this assuming that you already knew some basics.

Back on our original web site...

	http://research.sun.com/projects/lively/

... there is a tab labelled 'Interactive Tutorial'  that should guide 
you through some of the basics.  I jumped past these in order to tell 
you about our pie menus, and I guess that was a bit premature.  If 
you have not tried this, please do.  Your comments will help to guide 
us in producing the next version entirely in LK.

<snip>

>I am professionally confused, ignorant, stupid, anxious, and 
>prejudiced as I try to use something for the first time. You may 
>dismiss any useless questions, but it would be nice to understand 
>why I might want to use LK and what your fundamental goals are. 
>Again. Do you know about "the curse of knowledge" as an impediment 
>to writing introductory material that works for utter novices? I try 
>to embody a cheap test of whether directions can possibly be 
>misunderstood.

Yes.  We are indeed sorely cursed in this regard.  We take your 
critique and cautions as serious exhortation to do the job right, and 
get people to a competent and creative point in a simple and direct 
manner.

>  Am I demanding a video tutorial as the LK-for-dummies front page?

Perhaps.  We're hoping we can introduce everything from within the 
system itself, along the lines of the existing interactive tutorial. 
We'll see (and you can be the judge).

By the way, you will find a  link to the Lively Kernel talk at Google 
( a demo, not a tutorial)

	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGw09RZjQf8

on both our old home page,

	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGw09RZjQf8

and the new wiki one

	http://livelykernel.sunlabs.com/

Hope this helps.  We appreciate your patience in debugging our 
process of disclosure here.  There is more to come, and I hope that 
we can make it much more effective.

	- Dan
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