“Instead, it uses a simple graphical interface that allows programs to be assembled like building blocks,” Fildes reports.
Fildes reports, “The digital toolkit, developed in the US at MIT’s Media Lab, allows people to blend images, sound and video.”
“‘Computer programming has been traditionally seen as something that is beyond most people – it’s only for a special group with technical expertise and experience,’ said Professor Mitchel Resnick, one of the researchers at the Lifelong Kindergarten group at MIT. ‘We have developed Scratch as a new type of programming language, which is much more accessible,'” Fildes reports.
Fildes reports, “The program works by making the act of creating a computer program more like building with Lego bricks… Objects and characters, chosen from a menu and created in a paint editor or simply cut and pasted off the web, are animated by snapping together different “action” blocks into stacks… Each block contains a separate command, such as “move” or “play drum” and each action can be modified from a drop-down menu. Blocks can only be stacked if they fit together.”
“Scratch is inspired by the method hip hop DJs use to mix and scratch records to create new sounds,” Fildes reports.
Fildes reports, “Scratch is now available to download for free and works with both Apple Macs and Windows PCs.”
Full article here.
Scratch Intro:
More info about Scratch and download link here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Crabapple” for the heads up.]