A Principled Design for an Integrated Computational Environment.

Abstract

Boxer is a computer language designed to be the base of an integrated computational environment providing a broad array of functionality -- from text editing to programming -- for naive and novice users. It stands in the line of Lisp inspired languages (Lisp, Logo, Scheme), but differs from these in achieving much of its understandability from pervasive use of a spatial metaphor reinforced through suitable graphics. This paper describes a set of learnability and understandability issues first and then uses them to motivate design decisions made concerning Boxer and the environment in which it is embedded.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 12, 1982
Accession Number
ADA121508

Entities

People

  • Andrea A. Disessa

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cognitive Science
  • Complex Systems
  • Computer Languages
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Science
  • Computers
  • Construction
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Graphics
  • Language
  • Military Research
  • Natural Languages
  • Programming Languages
  • Two Dimensional
  • User Interface

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Database Systems and Applications