Scratch

sparks wrote:

1) I don't think I use them quite often enough to miss them, but when I did use them I would miss them, especially if they were replaced with the old system of simply listing the projects. The visualisation is very dynamic and allows users to easily follow a remix path visually so I think it's great and this simple interactivity is something I would possibly miss.

2) I have never shared a remix visualisation with anyone before, I use them more as a tool, though I can see how many Scratchers would enjoy showing people how sprawling and impressive their remix visualisation looks if it has been remixed a lot.

3) I don't know how much more I can say about remixes but I'm always up for a chat and ready to help if you want, so if no one else wants to Skype about this and you and Mozzadrella are feeling lonely I'm happy to help 

I agree with you on 1 and 2. However, i don't have Skype, and am really not an expert on remix visualizations, so i wouldn't really be the one to talk about it. 

1. Yes, I would miss them very much, because I like to see how different Scratchers have tooken a project and changed it to make it better, add stuff, or anything else. It is also nice if you are working with a partner on a project, it is easier to keep track of all the test projects, before releasing the real project.

2. I don't understand what you mean?

3. I would love to chat with you, but, right now I am really busy on school and my part-time job...

karenb wrote:

Hi everyone!

Friend-of-Scratch-Team Mozzadrella is really curious about remix visualizations. (Here's an example from MikeKucinski.)

We have three questions for you:

1. If remix visualizations were to disappear from Scratch, would you miss them? What about them would you miss?

2. Do you share your remix visualizations with others? What do you want to show off about them?

3. Would you be interested in talking to Mozzadrella and I about these questions over Skype? Leave a comment and we will send you more information via notification.

Thanks!
Karen B.

1. Yes, I find it useful to find out how projects are remixed.

2. I think it's cool to see how projects have been remixed and changed throughout different remixes.

3. Sure, sounds cool!

karenb wrote:

Hi everyone!

Friend-of-Scratch-Team Mozzadrella is really curious about remix visualizations. (Here's an example from MikeKucinski.)

We have three questions for you:

1. If remix visualizations were to disappear from Scratch, would you miss them? What about them would you miss?

2. Do you share your remix visualizations with others? What do you want to show off about them?

3. Would you be interested in talking to Mozzadrella and I about these questions over Skype? Leave a comment and we will send you more information via notification.

Thanks!
Karen B.

1. I wouldn't exactly miss them... But they're cool and fun to explore. It does seem better than the old list, but perhaps not the best it could be.

2. I really don't share the visualizations because I'm not really into remix chains and that kind of stuff, but when I do explore them it's cool to see how it's a big web-like structure.

3. I'd be interested, but I don't know if I'd be allowed. Perhaps chat would be okay...

I can't Skype, but here's an idea.  Remix visualizations are somewhat ignored on the Scratch website right now, and there's not much to show off.  But if the ST really wants to encourage remixing, how about allowing projects to access how many remixes they have and who made them?  You could then extend this functionality to love-its, tagging, etc.  Scratch projects, with some coding, could generate their own visualizations and create a much more interesting, customized experience than a one-size-fits-all visualization.   

So in conclusion:  Don't get rid of the one we have; it's a good baseline.  However, instead of working on improving it, add this functionality and let the people who really want excellent remix visualizations make customized ones for themselves, allowing more resources to be poured into other parts of Scratch 2.0.

A rather genius idea, if I do say so myself.   

karenb wrote:

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for your thoughtful responses to the questions!

Based on your feedback and other interviews we've done, Mozzadrella has developed some ideas for other types of remix visualizations. Like you, she's also busy with work and school, so she'll (hopefully) share her ideas when her schedule settles down.

say [Thanks again!]

No problem! Hope to talk to her soon.

Sorry to push, but what do you think of my idea?  I would really like a response; I feel ithas a lot of potential, and should be relatively easy to implement.

Greenatic wrote:

I can't Skype, but here's an idea.  Remix visualizations are somewhat ignored on the Scratch website right now, and there's not much to show off.  But if the ST really wants to encourage remixing, how about allowing projects to access how many remixes they have and who made them?  You could then extend this functionality to love-its, tagging, etc.  Scratch projects, with some coding, could generate their own visualizations and create a much more interesting, customized experience than a one-size-fits-all visualization.        

So in conclusion:  Don't get rid of the one we have; it's a good baseline.  However, instead of working on improving it, add this functionality and let the people who really want excellent remix visualizations make customized ones for themselves, allowing more resources to be poured into other parts of Scratch 2.0.

A rather genius idea, if I do say so myself.     

karenb wrote:

Greenatic wrote:

I can't Skype, but here's an idea.  Remix visualizations are somewhat ignored on the Scratch website right now, and there's not much to show off.  But if the ST really wants to encourage remixing, how about allowing projects to access how many remixes they have and who made them?  You could then extend this functionality to love-its, tagging, etc.  Scratch projects, with some coding, could generate their own visualizations and create a much more interesting, customized experience than a one-size-fits-all visualization.        

So in conclusion:  Don't get rid of the one we have; it's a good baseline.  However, instead of working on improving it, add this functionality and let the people who really want excellent remix visualizations make customized ones for themselves, allowing more resources to be poured into other parts of Scratch 2.0.

In general, I think that the idea of giving Scratchers access to their own participation data is awesome. I'd love to see all of the different things people would make.

I wonder what types of projects would be common -- would the projects be about presenting what you'd done to others? would the projects be about understanding your own progress? other motivations?

Whatever the case, I think there's a lot that could be learned with/through that data.

Another grad student / Scratch team member -- Sayamindu Dasgupta -- is focused on the data piece. Maybe he would be willing to comment...

I think the results really are impossible to predict--the resourcefulness of this community, I'm sure, would result in an outpouring of ideas.  Allowing these kinds of connections would really expand Scratch's horizons, plus might provide a good framework on which to base cloud variables.

Do you think it would be a good idea to allow access to other projects by that user, or perhaps all projects? 

What is Sayamindu Dasgupta's username?  I could leave a comment on one of their projects, if they've uploaded any...

sdg1 wrote:

Sayamindu here - we have started to plan out a system for allowing Scratch projects to pull in data from online sources. We are trying to design the system in such a way so that it can uniformly handle a variety of data-sources, but as you point out, one of the most interesting and generative data-source would be the Scratch website itself. We have some rough prototypes built, but we feel that the design needs a few more iterations. However, this has a high chance of being one of the first features that show up _after_ Scratch 2.0 is released. Right now, for all of us here in the Scratchteam, the primary goal  is to get Scratch 2.0 out.

That's understandable.  So, besides Scratch 2.0 being in Flash, are there any new features for the initial release other than the website?

Greenatic wrote:

sdg1 wrote:

Sayamindu here - we have started to plan out a system for allowing Scratch projects to pull in data from online sources. We are trying to design the system in such a way so that it can uniformly handle a variety of data-sources, but as you point out, one of the most interesting and generative data-source would be the Scratch website itself. We have some rough prototypes built, but we feel that the design needs a few more iterations. However, this has a high chance of being one of the first features that show up _after_ Scratch 2.0 is released. Right now, for all of us here in the Scratchteam, the primary goal  is to get Scratch 2.0 out.

That's understandable.  So, besides Scratch 2.0 being in Flash, are there any new features for the initial release other than the website?

It's a rewrite of the entire system (editor + website) - along with some new features such as procedures, new blocks for dealing with video, variables and lists that can be stored online in the cloud, a new search system, etc. Of course, the feature list isn't finalized yet, and as we bring in more alpha and beta testers, we'll continue to refine the list.

Greenatic wrote:

sdg1 wrote:

Greenatic wrote:

That's understandable.  So, besides Scratch 2.0 being in Flash, are there any new features for the initial release other than the website?

It's a rewrite of the entire system (editor + website) - along with some new features such as procedures, new blocks for dealing with video, variables and lists that can be stored online in the cloud, a new search system, etc. Of course, the feature list isn't finalized yet, and as we bring in more alpha and beta testers, we'll continue to refine the list.

Video blocks!?!?   

We'll finally be able to import videos? 

XenoK wrote:

Mokat wrote:

Greenatic wrote:

Video blocks!?!?   

We'll finally be able to import videos? 

yes, it is one of few confirmed features.

That's going to be very interesting...I wonder what the blocks wil be, and what formats will be accepted.