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Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

worrydream.com

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Re: Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

#42
post #30
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That page does allow you hear the changes. See the toggle-switch next to the picture of the guitar.

"That page..." - which?

Turn on the guitar then go back up to the graph and change it. As you drag you hear its effect on the audio.

Re: Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

#43
post #25
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to suggest that in the case of audio, adding the ability to experience changes aurally in addition to visually.

That page does allow you hear the changes. See the toggle-switch next to the picture of the guitar.

The page linked by the headline? I see no guitar on that page.

EDIT: So now I see markbao's comment[1] referencing a page[2] with a guitar on it. His comment was not in the top of my window when I was perusing earlier. In this thread of comments, there is no reference directly to the Explorable Explanations page, thus I was wondering when my sanity plummeted (since there's no guitar icon on the Tangle page).

While the Explorable Explanations page is darn nifty, in my original comment I did not clearly communicate my actual intent. To clarify: If Dr. Prof. will be incorporating such things into his lectures and course media, I suggest that he also provide the reactive aural experience to reinforce the material.

[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3140241 [2] http://worrydream.com/ExplorableExplanations/

Re: Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

#44
post #41

Take a peek at all of the author's projects [1]. It's amazing, humbling, depressing... [1] http://worrydream.com/

Interesting, his idea about interactive pictures is what was my initial frustration with programming. "Why can't I just make that stuff go?"

If you are into games, a solution to interactive picture generation by artists would be akin to a particle editor. You let them define a few parameters and valid ranges, then the artist supplies graphics in the right places: voila. A good looking animation. Now restrict the end user to a few well defined ranges of these parameters as well and you have an interactive picture.

Re: Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

#45

My first thought was "this is pretty cool!" but wondering who actually needs it. I then had the realization that this is, in fact, a very different way of data expression. It would force you to think not only about what you are saying, but how you are saying it and how to demonstrate the ideas within the text of the document itself and not simply say "Refer to fig 1.1". This could truly present a new way of displayin…

So must of us are quite familiar with reactive programming, we just don't realize it. Anytime you've ever made an excel spreadsheet, with functions, you've done reactive programming. Seeing that the spreadsheet is one of the few areas where nonprogammers actually program, I'm hoping that as we better understand reactive programming we'll be able to expose it's power to general users.

For more information on functional reactive programming, I'd recommend looking at FlapJax and FatherTime

Re: Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

#46

have I been missing something or this brakes every accessibility rules? how can I "slide" without a mouse? It seems I can't even tab to the sliding enabled elements.

Sliding the numbers isn't the interesting part (I agree, it is horrible from an accessibility perspective). The interesting part is the automatic updates.

Of course, if you can't slap your own UI (or there aren't better UI's), then that's problematic. Given the author's other work, though, I don't think that is a problem.

Re: Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

#48
post #8

The graph is neat...I worry that the link is a UI paradigm that my mom or dad simply wouldn't grok though...I'm not a particularly good son and I don't talk to them much...so does anyone wanna test my theory out?

It certainly breaks UI expectations. Maybe arrows above and below the number?

Slider inputs would work better.

Re: Tangle is a JavaScript library for creating reactive documents.

#49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It works perfectly fine on my android phone.

indeed, but I couldn't find a way to make the sliders work without touching the mouse. maybe there are some keyboard shortcuts that I couldn't find. also I believe you should be able to tab over the page to reach any input element, for consistency.

I can't even scroll his main website[1] with the keyboard if I enable Javascript. Thankfully it degrades nicely without the latter.

[1]: http://worrydream.com/

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