[ZooLib-dev] Finding a ZooLib "exemplar"

[Richard C. <rd_...@sb...>]

Here's a question for us to discuss -- what kind of program would be the=
 ultimate teaching example for Zoolib? We instructional designers call that=
 an "exemplar" -- an example that captures the essence of what's being=
 taught.

For example, when I rewrote Macintosh Programming Fundamentals for Apple, I=
 used a stripped down drawing application similar to MacDraw. Everybody was=
 asking "how do I update the screen, do scrolling, print, etc." and the=
 documentation didn't give a good example as it used the built in TextEdit=
 package that hid the mechanics of how to do all these things. But, as=
 another developer observed later, "every Macintosh application is, at=
 heart, a degenerate drawing application" so we had hit on the right=
 exemplar for the course.

Since GUI programming is relatively common knowledge, as is the=
 model-view-controller approach, we wouldn't need to use the same example=
 today (and especially not with Zoolib.) I believe a Zoolib exemplar would=
 have a multi-part layout (probably different views of the same data), use=
 the internal database and/or networking, and have good reason to use=
 multiple threads. As a teaching tool, it should have fairly trivial=
 algorithms so we can focus on the UI. It should not depend entirely on any=
 "major" UI modules built in (e.g. the NPainter framework), as that doesn't=
 help people learn how to do the basics. And, ultimately, it should be a=
 simple version of a reasonably familiar application so we don't have much=
 of a learning curve for the app itself.

I was thinking of a "contact manager" program -- one of those tools that=
 sales professionals use that combines an address book with reminders to=
 make contact (and provides a place to store notes.) That calls for a=
 multi-part layout -- a list of addresses, a selected address' details, and=
 notes on those calls. It's a natural for the database, and could be=
 extended to use a local "customer info" server. I could even see a use for=
 threads (as you type in a name, the DB lookup happens concurrently on a=
 thread.) 

But, this is a first thought and I'm open to suggestions. What do _you_=
 think?

 ...Richard