Towards a specification of the ToonTalk language

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Title: Towards a specification of the ToonTalk language
Authors: Morgado, Leonel1 leonelm@utad.pt, Kahn, Ken2 kenkahn@toontalk.com
Source: Journal of Visual Languages & Computing. Oct2008, Vol. 19 Issue 5, p574-597. 24p.
Subjects: Programming languages, Constraint programming, GHC (Computer program language), Virtual reality, Computer software, Computer-generated imagery, Computer programmers
Abstract: Abstract: ToonTalk is a child-oriented programming language whose environment is an animated virtual world, with objects that children can pick up and use as in a game, such as birds, trucks, and robots, providing direct child-oriented metaphors for programming constructs. Actions performed by a programmer''s avatar with these objects are both code and coding. ToonTalk is a powerful system, not just a “toy” system: it is based upon concurrent constraint programming languages, and programs written in languages such as Flat Guarded Horn Clauses and Flat Concurrent Prolog can be straight-forwardly constructed in ToonTalk. However, there is not a specification of ToonTalk, for ready implementation in other environments. We propose that the ToonTalk language lies not in the animations displayed by the current environment, but on the actions performed by the programmer with virtual world objects; we present a description and analysis of the methods the ToonTalk language provides to programmers for expressing programs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
Copyright of Journal of Visual Languages & Computing is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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  Data: Abstract: ToonTalk is a child-oriented programming language whose environment is an animated virtual world, with objects that children can pick up and use as in a game, such as birds, trucks, and robots, providing direct child-oriented metaphors for programming constructs. Actions performed by a programmer''s avatar with these objects are both code and coding. ToonTalk is a powerful system, not just a “toy” system: it is based upon concurrent constraint programming languages, and programs written in languages such as Flat Guarded Horn Clauses and Flat Concurrent Prolog can be straight-forwardly constructed in ToonTalk. However, there is not a specification of ToonTalk, for ready implementation in other environments. We propose that the ToonTalk language lies not in the animations displayed by the current environment, but on the actions performed by the programmer with virtual world objects; we present a description and analysis of the methods the ToonTalk language provides to programmers for expressing programs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Visual Languages & Computing is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1016/j.jvlc.2007.10.002
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      – SubjectFull: GHC (Computer program language)
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      – SubjectFull: Virtual reality
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              Text: Oct2008
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