[Edu-sig] Freedom: some Smalltalk history and Python implications

[kirby urner]

> For media-related stuff, *nothing* beats Squeak. It is so far ahead of
> the others it's not even funny. Bitmap graphics, vector graphics, 3d
> (software and accelerated), wave sound, fm sound, midi, video, you name
> it. And those things that aren't in the release are at SqueakMap
> (http://map.squeak.org/packagesbyname).
>
> Cheers,
>    - Andreas

OK, so this is good news, at kids 8-18 going through Logo | Smalltalk
| Python will already have some key concepts enabled, e.g. bitmapped
versus vector graphics.

But what's the API to 3d vector graphics like?

In numeracy1.html you see I go on to define a Vector class using
operator overloading.  I want to go Vector((1,1,1)) + Vector((0,1,-1))
and get back the right Vector object.

That's still conceptually where I'm at:  use sequences to make a
lexical <--> graphical connection, with no mention of XYZ coordinating
apparatus.  Later, talk about XYZ and start developing within a simple
API.

Pre VPython, my vectors would feed a Writer class for generating scene
description language for POV-Ray or whatever.  These days, I'm more
likely to just go with VPython.  In all cases, I focus on E, V and F
as primitives, because we're very into V + F = E + 2 in the Fuller
School.

Kirby