Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!pyramid!voder!apple!lsr From: lsr@Apple.COM (Larry Rosenstein) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer Subject: Re: Prototyper vs. Doing it Yourself Message-ID: <7686@apple.Apple.Com> Date: 15 Mar 88 02:12:30 GMT References: Reply-To: lsr@apple.UUCP (Larry Rosenstein) Organization: Advanced Technology Group, Apple Computer Lines: 35 In article rs4u+@andrew.cmu.edu (Richard Siegel) writes: > > However, I resist using tools such as MacApp, or Programmer's >Extender, or MacExpress, or Prototyper, simply on the grounds that I'd >rather do it myself. If I do it myself, I've gained an insight into how >things work; I've gotten my hands dirty, and I know exactly where the bugs This is a very good point. My experience with MacApp has been that some people do like to know what is going on inside of MacApp. These people tend to have a harder time using MacApp because MacApp is a fairly large program written in a certain style. (It does take a while to fully understand what goes on inside of MacApp, plus the dynamic binding of method calls makes it even more difficult.) People who will accept the "MacApp approach", and will try using MacApp before finding out how it works seem to have an easier time learning it. >lie (if there are any). The learning is sometimes more valuable than >getting the job done. My plotting program's been in continuous development >for over a year (since the last time I released it as shareware) and it >bears no resemblance to its previous incarnation; the interface is more >standard, more intuitive, and faster than previous versions. And I know a >lot more about programming in general, and about hacking the user interface >toolbox, in particular. The philosophy of MacApp is that programmers shouldn't have to know about the details of the Toolbox, in order to produce an application. They also should not have to reinvent the code for the standard user interface each time. On the other hand, if learning about the workings of the Toolbox is what you want to do, then MacApp is not going to help you do it. -- Larry Rosenstein, Object Specialist Apple Computer, Inc. 20525 Mariani Ave, MS 32E Cupertino, CA 95014 AppleLink:Rosenstein1 domain:lsr@Apple.COM UUCP:{sun,voder,nsc,decwrl}!apple!lsr