Gathering ideas for AutoHotkey v.2

Chris

Administrators
10727 posts

Last active:
Joined: 02 Mar 2004

How about a tutorials section/forum? Ask For Help can usually get the job done, but for more advanced things or for completely simple things for the people new to ahk it would be great.

In the absence of clear and compelling benefits, I err on the side of not adding new forums. One reason is that each forum is a magnet for new visitors to post questions in the wrong forum.

However, you can publish tutorials in the wiki. In fact, there are already some there; and that's arguably a better place to put more permanent documents like tutorials. Of course, you can also announce a new tutorial at the forum so that people find out about it.

Thanks.

#121

- Posted 14 February 2007 - 12:42 AM

AHKnow*

Guests

Last active:
Joined: --

A developer forum will probably be added someday -- either here or somewhere else like SourceForge. In fact, the idea was proposed long before it was mentioned in this topic.

I don't know when it will happen; it probably depends on when/if the project acquires any other regular developers. "Chicken or the egg", you say? Well, I disagree; but maybe that's just me being stubborn.

Chris, sorry, but I think you are being stubborn. Your the chairman that runs the show, but it does seems that the whole developers, source code, AutoHotkey development issue have come up numerous times.

Don't get me wrong, AutoHotkey development has gone well, but if its to go in a more advanced direction or if the need is there to take on larger development projects than a different development style may be needed.

If everybody is happy with the progress and type of AutoHotkey development so far, now and into the future, than there is no need to go more into this. But, if the point is that extra help is needed, than I think this issue needs more attention.

I kind of think, just my maybe worthless opinion, that you should go "egg" in the approach. Assume people know little about C/C++ and you have to get some people up to speed to help out with development issues or some people that know a little about C/C++ and just started to use AutoHotkey.

I think people have avoided the development issue, because they seek to avoid C/C++ in general. AutoHotkey is a great scripting language to not deal with such issues.

But, there is no getting around the fact that AutoHotkey was created in C/C++ and maybe that should be the focus of the forum, where ever it will be located. People that want to touch the whole C/C++ language issue which would include- Tutorials, code talk, AutoHotkey source code changes, etc.... Should have someplace to go. Right now, they don't have anyplace, so such issues are not going to get the attention it may need.

#122

- Posted 15 February 2007 - 03:07 AM

Grumpy

Guests

Last active:
Joined: --

I don't agree with you, I doubt beginner developpers (discovering C or C++) would be useful to the project...

#123

- Posted 15 February 2007 - 11:09 AM

Chris

Administrators
10727 posts

Last active:
Joined: 02 Mar 2004

Thanks for the advice.

#124

- Posted 15 February 2007 - 10:28 PM

jonny

Members
2951 posts

Last active: Feb 24 2008 04:22 AM
Joined: 13 Nov 2004

I agree with Grumpy. If we start spending time on discussing C++, it's going to detract from the AHK community as a whole more than it improves the source code. I think most of the topics brought up would be trivialities about the implementation or layout of the code, with practicality and design rating low - particularly if those involved are at a novice or intermediate level. In addition, AutoHotkey's source code is very optimized. While this means that it runs efficiently, it also means that the organization of the code is potentially confusing and hard to follow, and also that it is highly specialized to the compiler it's built with (Visual .NET 2003). A fair amount of experience is needed just to trace it, and we would probably end up with more questions than answers.

#125

- Posted 16 February 2007 - 12:10 AM

AHKnow*

Guests

Last active:
Joined: --

Well you guys would know best, but from what grumpy and jonny are saying the pool of potential developer help will be very, very small.

If you don't help bring anybody along and develop some C/C++ talent, than the AutoHotkey community is going to need to wait for advanced level C/C++ help.

From a different point of view, we all have to start somewhere. You may be surprised at what you can develop if you show people the way. If you pass along the knowledge, there are going to be some people that will take it to surprising levels.

If on the other hand, you wait for advanced level users, the question becomes "what is in it for them?". I can do "X" so what will I get in return? Also such advanced talent may not see the merits of AutoHotkey, and have no need for "shortcuts", easy syntax, etc...

#126

- Posted 16 February 2007 - 07:37 AM

Grumpy

Guests

Last active:
Joined: --

we all have to start somewhere.

Yes, I just think AutoHotkey source might not be the right place to start.
There are probably plenty places on the Net to learn C or C++, and Windows programming.
I would be glad to see other people to contribute to AutoHotkey code, but I expect they are experimented.
One have to learn to walk before running.

#127

- Posted 16 February 2007 - 11:18 AM

Sign In