Scratch

Cyclone103 wrote:

What is alice like? Is the interface as simple as scratch and squeak? is it free? I want to know more about programming in other languages!

Alice is free.

Alice is 3D from the start.

Alice uses a drag and drop interface similar to Scratch.

Alice generates source code similar to Java when you drag tiles and drop them into position, but you don't have to type the source code.

Alice is much more powerful than Scratch in terms of programming capability. The first obvious difference is the ability to create programmer-defined methods and functions that receive parameters and return values in a variety of different types, a requirement for serious programmers using modern programming languages.

Alice provides less in the way of high-level flashy capability (such as image effects and sounds) than Scratch.

The Alice website does not provide a capability to easily share projects as is the case with Scratch.

Alice is the logical next step beyond Scratch in learning how to program because it supports many fundamental programming concepts that are absent from Scratch but it does not require the student to memorize syntax as is the case for Java, C++, C#, VB.net and other text-based programming languages.  The requirement to memorize syntax is the downfall of many programming students.

Alice is not for everyone.  I recommend that younger scratchers stay with Scratch until:
1. They have become capable Scratch programmers.  (There is a lot to learn about programming basics using Scratch.)
2. They are ready and eager to move up a notch in programming capability with an eye toward eventually becoming a serious programmer. (They need to be ready to move beyond image effects, etc., and not be dependent on large amounts of sensory feedback to gain programming satisfaction.)
3. They are ready to gain satisfaction from their own accomplishments without the requirement for motivation based on feedback from others in the way of comments, lovits, views, etc.  The Alice website  and forums simply don't offer much support for those motivational mechanisms.  Instead, the Alice website and forums are designed for serious programming students who are largely self motivated.

Last edited by dbal (2008-06-14 12:52:00)

Cyclone103 wrote:

I am not sure if you would consider me a "younger" scratcher, but Alice sounds interesting. I will have to try it out!

Alice is fun once you find all of the tiles (thanks dbal). It took me like 2 days to find the do together, loop, etc. It's a little more complicated than Scratch, but I would have to agree that it is the next step beyond Scratch (well, maybe Starlogo because it is almost the exact same as Scratch, but with strings and stuff)

Last edited by Bluestribute (2008-06-14 15:55:02)

Bluestribute wrote:

Cyclone103 wrote:

I am not sure if you would consider me a "younger" scratcher, but Alice sounds interesting. I will have to try it out!

Alice is fun once you find all of the "blocks" (don't know what they are actually called). It took me like 2 days to find the do together, loop, etc. It's a little more complicated than Scratch, but I would have to agree that it is the next step beyond Scratch (well, maybe Starlogo because it is almost the exact same as Scratch, but with strings and stuff)

The things that are called "blocks" in Scratch are typically called "tiles" in Alice.  This serves to distinguish them from the term "code blocks" (often shortened simply to blocks) which, for those whose programming background derives from the C programming language and its derivatives, is usually taken to mean the statements enclosed by a matching pair of curly characters such as:

{
  Statement 1
  Statement 2
  ...
  Statement N
}