GP Beta Test Forum

......runs away and hides :)

Don't get me wrong - I'm glad you've reverted the universe frame reference back to the way it was when I was learning geometry :)

But I'm wondering (as part of transition usage) if some sort of facility could exist to use the (incorrect of course) Scratch directions?

Ideas:
Big Scratch Mode button at top :)
Config file setting
Movement block "set direction mode to Scratch"
Reporter block that converts

or do we just have to tell the kids that MIT told them porkies :)

I suspect that kids coming from Scratch will be able to adapt the different convention for angles. It is probably even good for them to realize there are often many ways to represent the same thing (e.g. many units for measuring distance).

Its probably also good for them to know that even folks from MIT change their mind about such design choices. :-) We actually had many debates about this over months when designing Scratch. There were tensions between compatibility with Logo, compatibility with math textbooks, and our goals for Scratch. There's are many "right" answers and no one answer that satisfies all the constraints.

If this proves to be a problem for a lot of kids, we can think about options. However, I'm betting that, while the change may require pointing out, it won't result in long-term confusion. In a sense, the system "teaches" the user about it's coordinate system and angle conventions.

-- John