The other day, I saw this interesting new product from an indie software developer. The product is the Illumination Software Creator. Quoting from the site: Currently, it supports exporting a project to: * Python GTK-based Desktop Application * Python GTK-based Nokia N800/N810/N900 Tablet Application * And with 2.0 and up, Adobe Flash/Flex Applications It seems to be pretty cool, and a great way to learn the basic concepts behind programming in a language neutral way, I suppose. And since it exports to source code, you can further modify your code if you have knowledge of the project export target. It is available for Linux, Mac OS X (version 2.0 and up), and Windows. It is available for $50 and you'll be eligible for free upgrades. Additionally, the developer of Illumination Software Creator has made an video introduction of it on YouTube.
It's certainly a neat concept, but it's not new. I remember in the earlier days of the internet coming across this: http://aflow-designer.com/ Illumination uses the same idea of a sort of flow chart visualization, just that it's more free-form while A-Flow has a more rigid structure. That said, it looks promising and I'd probably prefer Illumination's way of doing of it (if I were to use it at all).
Hmm. It is pretty similar. But ISC is cross platform, exports to code, and is being actively developed, so I'd say that ISC wins over it. And the free form approach is nicer than the structured one. But, AFlow does have the nice point of being able to interact with databases. Not that ISC couldn't in a future beta or something. Just that, it currently does not.
These "visual building block" programs never pan out. There's a reason the vast majority of computer languages are not visual, nor made of building blocks. I can't think of a single useful program written in such a manner, either. It's like trying to give your Master's Dissertation using elementary school level flash cards.
I don't get it. This does not seems like "programming" to me. More like a GUI maker. Qt Creator/Designer probably does most of it already. Also, wtf GTK?
Qt Creator does not do visual logic design. Only UI. GTK is probably the only toolkit guaranteed to be available on Linux, mainly because nearly all "big" apps use it.... Qt is planned eventually...
Yeah, Qt Designer can do "visual logic" design (attaching signals and slots). But its limited I agree. But I doubt you can do much better in Illumination Software Creator. Also what "big" apps are you talking about?
Sounds like game maker, but for applications. I think the problem that these things usually face have more to do with a lack of people who would use it. You basically need to make it both powerful and streamlined enough that someone who already knows a language or two might use it to make something simple in a faster way. Most people who don't know a language probably wouldn't have ideas for programs that don't already exist. At least that's my view on it.
Indeed... On the developer's blog, he announced the release of ISC 1.1. He's also announced the roadmap for ISC (from 2.0 onward) is as follows: He's also said: Looks like Illumination is shaping up quite well...
when programming, a building block approach to organizing and implementing your code is not a bad thing, especially if you create modules of code that can be useful in other projects.
Most languages ARE made up of building blocks. Functions, sections of code that do tasks in the main(), etc. are all "blocks" of code. The best metaphor for code is building blocks.
