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From: eggplant@walt.cc.utexas.edu (johan van Zanten)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: "Innovative software like Hypercard" [sic]
Message-ID: <33519@ut-emx.UUCP>
Date: 7 Jul 90 20:26:14 GMT
References: <1990Jul3.113921.1299@d.cs.okstate.edu> <77516@aerospace.AERO.ORG> <1990Jul7.050240.21181@csrd.uiuc.edu>
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Reply-To: eggplant@walt.cc.utexas.edu (johan van Zanten)
Organization: The Ministry of Silly Walks
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Distribution:usa


  Mr Forbes writes:
"If development costs for Hypercard are driving up the costs of making a Mac,
then I think we can safely ax this project.  Most users could live without
Hypercard and be richer as a result."


	I strongly disagree.  One of the foundations Apple built its current
success upon was the Educational market.  Currently, Apple is working very hard
to produce a low cost, color Macintosh as soon as possible (firing a high exec) 
because of the educational demand.  They have (reportedly) lost $500 million
in sales to IBM and IBM-compatibles, and it hurts.
	However, Macs will not be able to "infiltrate" the educational world if
they do not have some sort of easy-to-learn programming environment, where 
teachers and students just beginning to use computers, can write sometimes-
lenghty and interesting programs, tailored to their students' needs.
	I'm not shooting my mouth off, here.  I work at the University of Texas'
College of Education Learning Resources Center.  I help students in the 
Computer Literacy classes use the Apple //e's to program in BASIC because Macs
are (at the moment) to expensive to use.  Speaking from about 7 years of exper-
ience in BASIC, C, Pascal and HyperCard programming, i would recommend Hyper-
Card for anyone who wants to produce their own "program" but doesn't have the
time or orientation to learn a "real" higher language.
	If Apple "axes" HyperCard, they lose the Educational market they need
to survive.  You cannot expect teachers to use MS Word, Excel or other
such "useful" programs as teaching aids in a 3rd grade classroom.  You need 
a programmable "tour" or "display" -type engine, which can use graphics and
sound to involve students.
  
	Johan van Zanten 	"Don't you threaten me with a dead fish."
(eggplant@walt.cc.utexas.edu)	(from the movie "Withnail and I")