Re: LOGO-L> Re: Computer Language for Kids ?

[gary mccallister <mccallis@mesa5.mesa.colorado.edu>]

     You make excellent distictions that I did not.

On Tue, 22 Jul 1997, Mike Doyle wrote:

> In-Reply-To: <Pine.SV4.3.91.970721103403.15432B-100000@mesa5.mesa.colorado.edu-
> >
> gary mccallister wrote:
> 
> > Moving a mobile robot (turtle) about in three dimensional space is 
> > not a trivial intermediate-technology type of problem (as evidence see 
> > the difficulties with the Mars rover).
> 
> The point about the Floor Turtle is that it *only* moves and draws. It was 
> devised before we had monitors as a means of visualising turtle graphic 
> procedures. It is (strictly) an intermediate technology. There are so many 
> things it can't do - try 'colourunder' with a floor turtle!
> 
> With LEGO/Logo you can build many different floor robots by adding a range 
> of sensors etc. (You can even make your own robots out of junk - I once 
> made a 'skin' with conductive plastic.) 
> 
> The Screen Turtle 'lives' within an active representational medium.
> The LEGO/Logo robot 'lives' in the real world.
> The original Floor Turtle straddled the two. It's evolutionary line has 
> now split into two. These two lines are developing semi-independently. 
> 
> The Floor Turtle (and screen turtle when used to emulate it) is simply one 
> means of teaching (exploring?) a mathematical domain called Turtle 
> Geometry. The benefits of teaching Turtle Geometry are uncertain and 
> unproven - as is the validity Papert's notion of it being 'body-syntonic'.
> 
> (Jeff?)
> 
> Micheal O Duill
> 
> 
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