MIT Offers Picture-Centric Programming To the Masses With Sikuli

coondoggie writes "Computer users with rudimentary skills will be able to program via screen shots rather than lines of code with a new graphical scripting language called Sikuli that was devised at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With a basic understanding of Python, people can write programs that incorporate screen shots of graphical user interface (GUI) elements to automate computer work. One example given by the authors of a paper about Sikuli is a script that notifies a person when his bus is rounding the corner so he can leave in time to catch it." Here's a video demo of the technology, and a paper explaining the concept (PDF).

Comments

The Cow pat model

[Anne Thwacks]

Yeah - lets hear it for a new development model:

For years I have been asking for a softwsare development tool that allows me to write PHP code by throwing cow-pats at the screem with the Wiimote.

And my colleagues wat a tool that allows dispatching my bugs with the Wii gun attachment they use in "Quantum of Solace".

Yes, but can Sikuli be used to write Sikuli?

[hellop2]

Otherwise it's just not complete, IMHO.

Re:My grandmother knows python

[Fred_A]

"Computer users with rudimentary skills"..... "with a basic understanding of Python"?

Computer users with a rudimentary skill who do not have a basic understanding of Python can always build a Python programming AI in Lisp (or at least that's what I gathered from the MIT docs I browsed) and thus save themselves the trouble.

Re:How easy IS it?

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, no one has watched the movie Swordfish have they?

We're trying to repress those memories, you insensitive clod!

The Sikuli School of Programming

[presidenteloco]

if NOT understand logic then
   loop
      talkTo (self, "Don't program!")
      Look (@ Pretty pictures)
   endloop
endif