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From: jaieff@spuddy.mew.co.uk (JJF)
Subject: Re: [Inform] I can't learn Inform
Message-ID: <19960410.203029.28@spuddy.mew.co.uk>
Sender: jaieff@spuddy.mew.co.uk (James Farmer)
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References: <1996Apr5.162245.5280@rgfn.epcc.edu> <Pine.LNX.3.91.960406161155.467F-100000@the-eye.res.wpi.edu>
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 20:30:29 GMT
Lines: 41

In article <Pine.LNX.3.91.960406161155.467F-100000@the-eye.res.wpi.edu>,
          timbuktu@the-eye.res.wpi.edu (George Caswell) waffled about:

> On Fri, 5 Apr 1996, Justin Butterfield wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> >  I read the whole Inform manual all the way through and didn't
> > understand most of it, it seemed like parts of it were missing,
> > anywhay, I read that and the tutorials and don't understand it,
> > could someone tell me what to do?
> >
>    Join the club...  <g>
> 
>    Seriously:  It helps to have some familiarity with programming and
> object-oriented programming theory.  Inform doesn't make the claim of
> AGT-  that anyone can do it with just a little imagination.  I think
> Inform tries, and in some ways succeeds, some ways possibly fails, to be
> a complex, but very powerful and versatile tool for writing adventures.

Errr - I think you're turning people off here!  Familiarity with programming
is a great boon with Inform but I don't think detailed knowledge of
object-oriented programming theory is vital.  I'd personally advise people
to take the more intuitive approach - that the "Inform" world is, like ours,
made of lots of individual objects, perhaps combined into one "super-object";
a bottle and a bottle cap being an example.

The "programmer" would define the world by creating objects, as if he/she
had an infinite amount of clay.  These "clay" objects would react to default
rules and laws (e.g. the law of gravity!), but if you wanted them to do
anything special then you would have to add extra bits (code) to make them
actually do this.  (e.g. it's no good expecting to be able to watch Doctor
Who on your clay television set if you haven't actually put a CRT inside
it!)

But that's only my opinion.  What do I know?

-- 
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