[kepler-dev] Getting Started Feedback

Thu May 3 09:30:16 PDT 2007

Hi Glen,

Thanks for sending the feedback! I appreciate the detailed and thoughtful comments and will work with your suggestions when I update the Getting Started Guide.

Best wishes,
Kirsten

> Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 02:03:12 -0400> From: glen at glenjarvis.com> To: kma500 at gmail.com> CC: kma500 at gmail.com; kepler-dev at ecoinformatics.org> Subject: [kepler-dev] Getting Started Feedback> > Kirsten,> Here is the beginning of my feedback. I'm sorry I didn't get it to > you last week. I never did get on that plane, and as a consequence my > planning for the next two weeks is totally upset.> > However, I spent a few hours tonight working on making my notes > make sense. I am only on page 6 of 43 (roughly 14% finished). Please > remember that I *really* found the guide helpful on my first pass and > that these notes are extremely nit-picky. However, I've always > believed in digging into the details to make something even better. > I'll pick up where I left next Monday or Tuesday. I'll also send you > my cryptic/quick notes in a private email in case they are helpful.> > All comments below have been verified with nightly build for > 2-May: kepler20070502.> > Suggestion #01> Page #01> Old paragraph:> > > 3. Starting Kepler.........................................7 3.1.1. > > Windows and Macintosh Platforms.....................7 3.1.2. Linux > > Platform......................................7 4. Basic Components > > in Kepler..............................7> > > Comments:> For parallelism, it seems we are missing a 3.1 and jump straight > into 3.1.1 and 3.1.2.> > Possible Suggestion:> I'm not sure this needs fixed. This structure seems odd to me, and > it contradicts the other structures (like in 6) but if fixing it means > writing sections that don't make sense, then we'd be forcing a square > peg into a round hole and it's better to leave it as it is. Whatever > needs done, I wanted to point it out.> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> > > Suggestion #02> Page #02> Old paragraph:> > > 8. Appendix.........................................42 8.1. Ptolemy > > II – The Foundation of Kepler...............42 > > 8.2................Error! Bookmark not defined. 8.3. Actor > > Reference..................43 .> > Comments:> This is a simple bookmark error that will be fixed with a rebuild > of the TOC.> > Possible Suggestion:> Rebuild TOC.> > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Suggestion #03> Page #03> Old paragraph:> > > Kepler users with little background in computer science can create > > workflows with standard components, or modify existing workflows to> > suit their needs. Quantitative analysts can use the visual interface > > to create and share R and other statistical analyses. Even advanced > > users will find that Kepler offers many advantages, particularly > > when it comes to presenting complex programs and analyses in a> > comprehensible and easily shared way.> > Comments:> Although a great deal of readers of this document will understand > what the language 'R' is, some will not. It is suggested to add one or > two sentences to help explain and let the reader know that it is not > necessary to know the 'R' language to successfully use Kepler.> > Possible Suggestion:> > Kepler users with little background in computer science can create > > workflows with standard components, or modify existing workflows to> > suit their needs. Quantitative analysts can use the visual interface > > to create and share R and other statistical analyses. R is a language> > developed at Bell Laboratories that is used for statistical > > computing and graphics. It is not necessary to know the R language > > to use Kepler.> > Even advanced users will find that Kepler offers many advantages, > > particularly when it comes to presenting complex programs and> > analyses in a comprehensible and easily shared way.> > Note#1: My comments on the R-language are not original thought. This may> or may not need to be cited. My source information came from> http://www.r-project.org/about.html in the first paragraph.> > Note#2: We do say on page (see below) that it is not needed to know> the 'R' language to successfully use Kepler. This is not > said, however,> when the 'R' language was first introduced in the manual. > Could we keep> this phrasing in both places, or move the phrasing up to the first> introduction to 'R'?> From page 4:> > Kepler users need not know how to program in R in order to take > > advantage of its powerful analytical features; pre-programmed Kepler > > components can simply be dragged into a visually represented workflow.> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> > Suggestion #04> Page #04-05> Old paragraph:> > > Connected actors (and a few other components that we’ll discuss in > > later sections) form a workflow, allowing scientists to inspect and > > display data on the fly as it is computed, make parameter changes as > > necessary, and re-run and reproduce experimental results.1 [This 1 > > is a superscript for a footnote.]> > > Comments:> This footnote is not at the bottom of the page, but instead is at > the end of the section on page 5. This was confusing to me since I had > to go looking for the footnote. There may be stylistic reasons for the > footnote to follow the end of the section. Personally, I believe the > bottom of the page is best.> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Suggestion #05> Page #04> Old paragraph:> > > Workflows also provide: * documentation of all aspects of an > > analysis; * visual representation of analytical steps; ...> > > Comments:> This may only be a style issue. The extra carriage return after > the "Workflows also provide.." seems to disconnect the bullet points > that finish the sentence. That is, since the bullets are of the same > sentence that begins "Workflows also..," then there should be no extra > carriage return.> > Possible Suggestion:> Remove the extra carriage return after the word "provide..."> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Suggestion #06> Page #06> Old paragraph:> > > *NOTE: Java 1.4 or higher is required and can be obtained from > > Sun’s Java website at: http://java.sun.com/j2se/downloads/ or from > > your system administrator. Some Kepler installations include Java > > 1.4 and others do not. Check to see if your version of Kepler > > includes Java before downloading it from > > http://kepler-project.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Downloads.> > > > Comments:> This note is confusing for the first-time reader. It is helpful in > that it states that "[s]ome Kepler installations include Java ... and > others do not," but the suggestion to "check to see if your version of > Kepler includes Java before downloading it..." does not show how until > the link is followed. The link > "http://kepler-project.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Downloads" is not recognized > as a hyperlink in the document. And, the page that is loaded has so > many options and so much information, it is overwhelming to a > first-time user. Stylistically, this note could be a comment box with > a warning graphic like the wingding "bomb" to catch the reader's > attention immediately. The asterisk before the NOTE also does not fit > the style of the rest of the document.> > > Possible Suggestion:> > NOTE: Java 1.4 or higher is required for Kepler to work. Some > > Kepler installations include Java 1.4 or higher and others do not.> > The instructions below will help you determine if you need the Kepler> > installation that includes Java or not. Skip to the section that relates> > to the Operating System where you are installing Kepler.> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Suggestion #07> Page #06> Old paragraph:> > > Two versions of Kepler are available for installation on a> > Windows machine: one with Java; and one without Java. If you do not > > have Java 1.4 (or higher) installed, be sure to download the Kepler > > package that includes Java or download and install Java from Sun’s > > website. Follow these steps to download and install Kepler for > > Windows:> > Comments:> The reader may not know if they have Java 1.4 on Windows or not. I > suggest adding the phrase "or if you are uncertain if Java 1.4 or > higher is installed," as shown below.> > > Possible Suggestion:> > Two versions of Kepler are available for installation on a> > Windows machine: one with Java; and one without Java. If you do not > > have Java 1.4 (or higher) installed, or if you are uncertain> > if Java 1.4 or higher is installed, be sure to download the Kepler> > package that includes Java or download and install Java from Sun’s > > website. Follow these steps to download and install Kepler for > > Windows:> > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Suggestion #08> Page #06> Old paragraph:> > > 1. Click the following link: > > http://kepler-project.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Downloads and select the > > desired Windows version (with or without Java).> > > Comments:> The URL listed does load the download page. Clicking on this link, > however, does not. Instead the page: > http://kepler-project.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Downloads%20 is loaded. Note > the %20 (that is the hexadecimal code for an embedded 'space') that > has been added to the end. Simply backspacing over this space within > the link should correct the problem.> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Suggestion #09> Page #06> Old paragraph:> > > [Section 2.3]> > 1 Click the following link: > > http://kepler-project.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Downloads and select the Mac > > install file. Save the zipped install file to your computer....> > > Comments:> This is a similar problem as suggestion #08. The URL listed does > load the download page. Clicking on this link, however, does not. > Instead the page: http://kepler-project.org/Wiki.jsp?page=Downloads%20 > is loaded. Note the %20 (that is the hexadecimal code for an embedded > 'space') that has been added to the end. Simply backspacing over this > space within the link should correct the problem.> > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> Suggestion #10> Page #06> Figure 2> > > Comments:> The icon in Figure 2 is no longer what is placed on the desktop > when it is installed. Also the icon is cut from a blue desktop which > would be confusing to users who do not have that blue desktop. I had > intended to download the Beta, take a screenshot of the icon after > installation, and then editing the graphic so that it has a > transparent background. However, for time constraints, may I send this > to you next?> > > Warmest Regards,> > > Glen Jarvis> -- > 913-486-8775> glen at glenjarvis.com> http://www.glenjarvis.com> > "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -M. Gandhi> _______________________________________________> Kepler-dev mailing list> Kepler-dev at ecoinformatics.org> http://mercury.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecoinformatics/mailman/listinfo/kepler-dev
_________________________________________________________________
Connect to the next generation of MSN Messenger 
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/default.aspx?locale=en-us&source=wlmailtagline
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mercury.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecoinformatics/pipermail/kepler-dev/attachments/20070503/5cc5b758/attachment-0001.htm