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This really looks interesting, I'd love to _read_ more about it. I have two major concerns after watching the video through. First is the spreadsheet ui. Much
by hammerandtongs 12y ago
This really looks interesting, I'd love to _read_ more about it.
I have two major concerns after watching the video through.
First is the spreadsheet ui. Much of the drama and nonsense with bad spreadsheet programming is related to not having the _table_ as the primary data organizational tool. Data should be in labeled and typed columns not laid out in cells on the main sheet and then postfacto treated as coherent data.
I was more genuinely more confused by what you were trying to explain in the early part of the video because of the awkwardness of your spreadsheet ui metaphor. Ie as you were explaining the columns and rows, reordering etc around 4:30+ .
The spreadsheet should be just a layout medium for expression of A view of data tables.
Apple tried to fix this with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_%28spreadsheet%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_%28spreadsheet%29 but ymmv on how successfully.
Suggestion - experiment with using a graph (or just cards) with tables as nodes. Figure out how to use the edges to express the program coherently.
Your asteroids demo was nicely done but I would be very unhappy reading a medium size program with your current ui.
Suggestion - have tables only built as they are defined. Don't try to be too much like existing spreadsheets (though obviously some of your audience would like to see a very traditional spreadsheet ui).
My second major concern is that I think spreadsheets and spreadsheet programming would benefit from stronger typing. You seem to not be addressing that? As as an example from your video are people's children not people too?
How can we keep a money column from being used as someone's age etc (without a function in between)?
- david927 12y agoThank you so much. Great feedback. This is a hard medium to discuss all of your points so please email me and I'll go through, point by point.
- lumpypua 12y agoGive it a shot. There's much to be learned by having these discussions in public!
- doorhammer 12y ago> My second major concern is that I think spreadsheets and spreadsheet programming would benefit from stronger typing. You seem to not be addressing that? As as an example from your video are people's children not people too? I'd be really interested in knowing the story there as well. If there's any documentation on the whys or why nots, or any videos/presentations, I'd be interested in seeing them.