Re: Logo style program in 3D

[Doug Loss <dloss@csrlink.net>]

Miguel Sepulveda wrote:
> 
> I am new to the mailing list. In my free time I am the Editor-in-Chief of
> the magazine LinuxFocus.
> 
Welcome, Miguel!

> At this moment I would like to let people know I am brainstorming the
> development
> of a 3D Logo programming server.
[...]
> Also in the 3D world I plan to put
> objects
> to encourage activities like building towers, etc... of course using simple
> geometrical
> forms (LEGO style objects) so that kids can play with it easily.
[...]
> Right now I am still thinking
> on the
> desing of the game itself; my daugther is almost 6 and very clever,
> nevertheless
> moving around in a 3D world is a very hard thing even to adults and I am not
> sure
> on wether to forget about LOGO and instead use the mouse for movements....
> any suggestions?

This is just the kind of application I was looking for months ago for my
6-yr.-old son's use!  My search eventually resulted in the creation of
this mailing list.  The focus of the list has been on courseware and
administrative software for schools, but programs such as this (we've
been calling them "edutainment") are clearly within the boundaries we've
set ourselves.

Using the mouse for movement (this will be an X-based program, I take
it) is probably a requirement for young children to move around in the
3D world without frustrating themselves too badly.  I wouldn't drop the
LOGO, though, as this would allow them to automate various routines
fairly easily.  They could then learn the rudiments of
programming--program flow, data structures, etc.--and be able to create
their own little "robots" (turtle-shaped?) to execute their routines. 
If your program could be put in "learn" mode it might be able to
generate LOGO code from the mouse activities the child uses, allowing
him or her to replay certain activities.

Do those sound like the kind of suggestions you were looking for?

-- 
Doug Loss                 It is impossible to imagine Goethe
Data Network Coordinator  or Beethoven being good at billiards
Bloomsburg University     or golf.
dloss@bloomu.edu                H. L. Mencken