Re: Window command

["Jeff Knope" <jknope@xxxxxxxx>]

On Dec 14 Ray wrote:

> I like Wendy's solution. I am more impressed with solutions that are easily
> understood by students than the "most elegant" solutions.

I would say that "easily understood" is a basic element of "most elegant." 
Of course, another element of "most elegant" is that it be a useful 
solution.

In the question of the window problem, which of the 3 suggested approaches 
is a useful solution depends on the programmer's needs and intentions - 
which haven't been discussed at all.

For example, if the programmer needs to find the coordinates of the center 
of an arc that joins 2 line segments, that location will often be outside 
the boundaries of the active field. This would be a case where only the use 
of trig functions would solve the problem.

Of course, solving the arc center problem would be an appropriate task for 
some high school students, but not for elementary school students.  So, our 
view of what is "easily understood" also depends on educational context.

Jeff


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Catzel" <raycatzel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mwforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 6:00 AM
Subject: RE: Window command


> I like Wendy's solution. I am more impressed with solutions that are easily
> understood by students than the "most elegant" solutions.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mwforum-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:mwforum-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Wendy 
> Petti
> Sent: December 13, 2005 3:39 PM
> To: mwforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [MWForum] Window command
>
> Another solution might be to place a little border all around the edge of
> your project area like a little picture frame and program this color so 
> that
> whenever a turtle passes over it, the turtle becomes hidden.  (Just give 
> the
> color the instruction:  HT)  If the turtle is drawing, it cannot respond 
> to
> color.  But if its pen is up, this will work.  The turtle will appear to
> leave the window.
>
> I'm not familiar with the game so I don't know if you need the turtle to
> reappear or not.  If you tell us more about the game maybe we can help 
> with
> a better "quick fix."
>
> Wendy
>
>
> > > My class is in the process of programming a version of the old Q Basic
> > > Gorrillas game and the WINDOW command would be very helpful ...
> > is there a way to create a WINDOW command or are we going to be forced
> > into a bunch of error checking for detecting when the turtle leaves the
> > screen and wraps and comes back ... it's a mess if that's what we have to
> > do.