Announcing Xavvi, a Great Leap Forward for App Building

[jiml]

where desktops continue to be where people spend almost half their time.

Richard,

Are those stats actually time spent by device type or something else, such as browser views?
The stat counter isn't quite explicit.

JimL

[dunbarx]

I just now realized that "Xaavi" is likely pronounced "savvy".

Craig

[SparkOut]

How do you pronounce Xavvi?
We’re pronouncing it Zavvy. Other options are possible…

[richmond62]

How forgiving will Xavvi be?
-

[richmond62]

-
ALL the questions I brought up in my 2004 MSc thesis are relevant (to a lesser or greater extent) today: hence my
constant reference to it, rather than reinventing the wheel.

[richmond62]

-
Why do I feel that this is disingenuous at the least, insofar as Xavvi might be used to generate something like a prototype,
or a very 'coarse-grained' app: but that in all but the most basic cases what is produced will require further tweaking,
refining and general house-keeping by a LiveCode-competent programmer?
-
And the use of 'The' is hilarious as there are a multiplicity of supposedly 'no-code' platforms.

"What is no-code?
No-code apps and tools enable people without coding skills to create software using graphical user interfaces in place of writing code. Before no-code solutions, website and app development relied on programmers. Removing that barrier has opened the door to many more people, enabling them to build beautiful, functional websites and apps without writing code. "

https://webflow.com/blog/no-code-apps

Of course, that does not mean that Xavvi might be vastly superior to the vast majority of the other offerings:
but to make sure it does not end up as another of the 'also-rans' its developers ned to be very careful indeed how it
is presented and so on.

[richmond62]

"285 Listings in No-Code Development Platforms Available"

https://www.g2.com/categories/no-code-d ... -platforms

Bloody Hell!

Question 1: In what way will Xavvi knock spots of these (especially with regard to people who are NOT already familiar with LiveCode)?

[richmond62]

A genuine 'no-code' development agent/interface/robot/whatever might also be sufficiently robust in handling natural
language that the human interlocutor does NOT need to either know computer interface related metalanguage such
as COPY, PASTE, SAVE, CLONE,and a whole slew of other terms that programmers (and people who, while not being
programmers per se, use on a daily basis).

[richmond62]

Sheesh: trying to lay my sweaty paws on:

User acceptance: Design considerations for a program generator. 1983

By cousin Stephen . . .

I have written to him, but as he is in his early 80s he's probably going to take a while to reply, if at all.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10. ... 4380130202

"The paper discusses those features in a program generator, a simulation program preprocessor, which are significant in the context of providing an effective interface with a user of the package. Discussion identifies two different roles for a generator: (1) to teach simulation languages and (2) to assist in the construction and use of a simulation model as a problem solving tool. In the context of the first role emphasis is placed upon both input design and upon the relationship between output and published texts. In the second role, discussion centres upon the need for a careful consideration of the related teaching techniques. DRAFT/SIMSCRIPT 11.5 is used to illustrate the discussion."

Or his:

Simulation program generators. 1974

"This paper introduces the concept of a general inter face between simulation models and simulation pro gramming languages. The interface is a program generator. The simulation model is represented in a symbolic form through an entity-cycle diagram. Three program generators are cited, and examples of two are given. The advantages of the technique are discussed."

(emphasis mine)

[heatherlaine]

Folks,

Just in case anyone missed it, you have another opportunity to ask the team live questions this afternoon at 5pm (our time, BST). Thats 12 noon in New York, or 9am in Los Angeles. We've made this an open session, you don't have to register in advance, and you can follow either in Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86437878174?p ... pOenhrUT09

or on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idEvGr31ElI

I have asked everyone who contributed to this thread whether they will come on and ask a question live to the panel, and several of you have agreed. Thank you very much for that, I'll look forward to a lively debate this afternoon!

Best Regards,

Heather

[richmond62]

That ZOOM session was super!

Thank you all so much.

So many things much clearer.

[FourthWorld]

where desktops continue to be where people spend almost half their time.

Richard,

Are those stats actually time spent by device type or something else, such as browser views?
The stat counter isn't quite explicit.

If I were writing formally I'd probably substitute "time" with "activity". Absent direct observation, actual time usage is difficult, perhaps impossible, to truly measure.

StatCounter's methodology is described in their Fact Sheet, linked to from their About page:
https://gs.statcounter.com/factsheet

In short, their metrics are derived from a staggering volume of access logs, with some reasonable trimming and weighting to approximate an understanding of usage patterns.

[richmond62]

Looking at all the kids and young adults (all those under about 45) in Plovdiv, Bulgaria [where I stay], about 90% are constantly glued to either their iPhones or their Android phones . . . no scientific research needed . . . just keep your eyes open.

[stam]

That ZOOM session was super!

Thank you all so much.

So many things much clearer.

Was the session recorded? Do u know if it will be shared? (Sadly was impossible for me to attend…)

[jacque]

Yes, it was recorded and I'm sure Heather will post a link when it's ready. There were so many questions that we ran overtime and still couldn't address all of them.