Visual programming languages is one of those paradigms that move us away from linear languages. MaxMSP is one of those. It's very interesting. Totally different compared to any of the usual programming languages, like C++/C, VB, C#, Java, etc. When you program with it though, and the number of links grow, it becomes harder to organize your program. Which is why hierarchies, like folders and files, work so well for offices. Now, just because one has the ability to create graphs everywhere, and create an infinite number of links, doesn't mean that they should. Active Directory is one such case, where access restriction is granted by inheriting roles. That technology relies on the hierarchy for its purpose.
There are so many examples where moving to a graph is neccessary, and just as many where keeping the hierarchy is neccessary.
I'm also one of those people who hope to make it happen. I'm working on a graph-oriented database, with it's own graph query language, and graph representation language. I'm hoping to have some applications made in the near future that will utilize these structures.
Take a look at ThinkMap. They are a great example of a company who take information and provide visual representations of it in the form of some sort of graph.
Although, I support Ted Nelson and his crazy obscure ideas, I'm also a practicalist, believe it or not.;)
Ted Nelson is a theorist. Stop being so negative, be proactive. Build something, change assumptions, alter your world. Theorists are those people with vision, that don't contain themselves to practicality. Our world doesn't move in bold strokes. It progresses through minor changes, systems that weave their way into our culture.
Take yourself back to the 1980's when the web wasn't invented. Try to explain it to your collegues, and you'll be ranted at by short-sighted, closed minded, and practicality-focused "tekkies".
And by the way, there are people who are trying to make it happen, and they will succeed.
Our whole technological infrastructure is based on physical metaphors. Ted Nelson is trying to open everyone's eyes to the fact that our hard drives, cds, databases, web sites, word documents, xml documents, and all other virtual forms of data do not need to be held to folders, files, and 8 1/2 by 11 pieces of paper. Sure, when computers were a new concept, and very hard to grasp, the "tekkies" decided to use the "paper metaphor" to allow new users to grasp the organization of their computer, but our common technical know-how has far surpased the need to keep this metaphor around.
Not only do we not need this metaphor, but this metaphor holds us back. It inherently forms the way programs are created, indexes are ran, searching is performed, and how information is allowed to be related (i.e. linked). Creating infinite links isn't what's important; creating all the helpful and relevant links is.
Ted Nelson might be a little obscure in his words, but how about you try to explain an interface that implements this which hasn't been made, yet.
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Visual programming languages is one of those paradigms that move us away from linear languages. MaxMSP is one of those. It's very interesting. Totally different compared to any of the usual programming languages, like C++/C, VB, C#, Java, etc. When you program with it though, and the number of links grow, it becomes harder to organize your program. Which is why hierarchies, like folders and files, work so well for offices. Now, just because one has the ability to create graphs everywhere, and create an infinite number of links, doesn't mean that they should. Active Directory is one such case, where access restriction is granted by inheriting roles. That technology relies on the hierarchy for its purpose.
;)
There are so many examples where moving to a graph is neccessary, and just as many where keeping the hierarchy is neccessary.
I'm also one of those people who hope to make it happen. I'm working on a graph-oriented database, with it's own graph query language, and graph representation language. I'm hoping to have some applications made in the near future that will utilize these structures.
Take a look at ThinkMap. They are a great example of a company who take information and provide visual representations of it in the form of some sort of graph.
Although, I support Ted Nelson and his crazy obscure ideas, I'm also a practicalist, believe it or not.
Ted Nelson is a theorist. Stop being so negative, be proactive. Build something, change assumptions, alter your world. Theorists are those people with vision, that don't contain themselves to practicality. Our world doesn't move in bold strokes. It progresses through minor changes, systems that weave their way into our culture.
Take yourself back to the 1980's when the web wasn't invented. Try to explain it to your collegues, and you'll be ranted at by short-sighted, closed minded, and practicality-focused "tekkies".
And by the way, there are people who are trying to make it happen, and they will succeed.
Our whole technological infrastructure is based on physical metaphors. Ted Nelson is trying to open everyone's eyes to the fact that our hard drives, cds, databases, web sites, word documents, xml documents, and all other virtual forms of data do not need to be held to folders, files, and 8 1/2 by 11 pieces of paper. Sure, when computers were a new concept, and very hard to grasp, the "tekkies" decided to use the "paper metaphor" to allow new users to grasp the organization of their computer, but our common technical know-how has far surpased the need to keep this metaphor around.
Not only do we not need this metaphor, but this metaphor holds us back. It inherently forms the way programs are created, indexes are ran, searching is performed, and how information is allowed to be related (i.e. linked). Creating infinite links isn't what's important; creating all the helpful and relevant links is.
Ted Nelson might be a little obscure in his words, but how about you try to explain an interface that implements this which hasn't been made, yet.