Graphics program isn't child's play
Article Abstract:
Power Industries' $69.95 Delta Drawing Today 4.0 is a graphics program for children from preschool to third grade that teaches simple concepts, shapes, basic reading and writing skills, and the logic of programming. It is a Logo-style programming language that uses a pointing arrow or cursor for manipulating around the screen to create simple drawings. The arrow can also be controlled by a series of commands. Logo, developed in the mid-1960s, was based on the concept of recursion, or the ability of part of a program to call itself up via a circular process. Delta Drawing Today allows a child to draw lines and add colors by pressing certain letter commands. A text screen for older children shows the program which was 'written' in the graphics screen. Drawings can be saved or printed. Delta Drawing Today has more than 40 commands. The well-planned manual offers a teacher's guide and a user's guide for parents or teachers.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1992
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And now, a Mickey Mouse program
Article Abstract:
The Animation Studio ($179.95), from Walt Disney Computer Software, provides everything necessary to create good-looking animated sequences on an Amiga microcomputer. A first drawing is done in cel 1, named after the sheets of celluloid on which animated cartoons used to be drawn. Then, the user moves to cel 2, where the drawing on cel 1 shows through. A second drawing advances action a step. This process, which continues for the number of cels needed to accomplish an action, can be tedious. A user can edit and add colors with the Ink and Paint section of the program, and another mode, called the Exposure Sheet, provides a way to fine-tune cel order and to add sound or music. There are many more features. Documentation is good: the program and its manuals amounts to a short course in animation. The program will run on an Amiga with only 512Kbytes of RAM, but 1Mbyte is recommended.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1990
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Learning through Mickey Mouse
Article Abstract:
Walt Disney Computer Software Inc offers three colorful pieces of computer software for children from two to five years old: Mickey's Colors and Shapes: The Dazzling Magic Show; Mickey's ABC's: A Day at the Fair; and Mickey's 123's: The Big Surprise Party. An MS-DOS computer with 512 Kbytes of RAM and an 8 MHz chip is required. Mickey's Colors and Shapes uses a plastic overlay to cover part of the keyboard. Pushing geometric or colored keys makes things change on the screen. Mickey's ABC's teaches letters and simple words, and Mickey's 123's does the same for numbers. The programs come on both 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch disks. There is sound, but given the poor quality of PC speakers, an add-on device called Sound Source ($34.95) is recommended. The Mickey Mouse programs have a suggested list price of $49.95 each. All three can be bought in a combination package for $69.95.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1990
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