ToonTalk

ToonTalk: K. Kahn, Animated Programs, 1996 [Kahn, 1996]

ToonTalk has a physical metaphor for program execution that is similar to that of Prototype 2. In ToonTalk, cities and the creatures and objects that exist in cities represent programs. Most of the computation takes place inside of houses; trainable robots live inside the houses. Communication between houses is accomplished with birds that carry objects back to their nests. Unlike Prototype 2, the ToonTalk environment places the user within the city (program). Using interaction techniques commonly found in videogames, users can navigate around the space, pick up tools, and use tools to affect other objects. By entering the thought bubbles of robots and showing them what they should do using standard ToonTalk tools, users construct programs.

ToonTalkby Ken Kahn is explicitly influenced by the work of Seymour Papert, but it follows the rule-based and non-text model of Stagecast Creator and AgentSheets. ToonTalk takes the model of programming-as-videogame much fur- ther than these other two environments. In ToonTalk, a student's program explicitly manipulates characters who, in turn, manipulate data and structures of data which appear as Lego bricks. The rendering of ToonTalk is exceptionally high- quality: The look-and-feel is as nice as a high-end videogame.

• https://toontalk.github.io/ToonTalk/ ToonTalk Reborn - Web Version

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