Oh oh … thats a big big big thing. i will make it short as i m new to gamma, with a very very bad feedback for the beginner winter session, but i have already written everything i have to say directly to node institute.
Aside VL language complexity, i m quiete sure that pain we all have in commun coming from beta is due to one principal thing: the non lisibility of certains parts of Gamma, that are hidden, and some missing parts
HIDDEN:
Declaration and creating variables functions is for me the leak: declaring class and records and especialy their inners like operations is completely hidden from the definition sheet, the top view. You have a record, you are obligated to enter inside of it to see what it handles, and so on. To look on the left, to activate desactovate from hidden place…
We have a visual programming language but WE CANT have a global overview/map of the declaration work, especially if [different levels of complexity like modeles runtimes etc…] (Model-Runtime-Editor design pattern - Model-Runtime - 1/6) . Having a look to the global application visually ( showing variables, functions, classes, process, operations etc…) in one glance is necessary.
We could imagine a special key to see input outputs of classes and records as “pins”?
The VL patch window also is not handy. You have only one at a time, you cant sort them, you cant put a color background to it to make clear classement when working on the different levels in front of your window. I m personnaly loose with the actual version when searching an already opened process. Definition sheet should be all the time accessible at the same place. We could have a window like the help for looking quickly inside all the stuff a record contains, and open another window to compare in quick glance.
Less crucial, but… and finally in the node inspektor, hidden nodes ( i understand filtering need, but when you are searching for something that should exists but not appears is quite limiting yourself with a brand new nugget installled, and there is quiet a long time loosed on that one for me).
TEMPLATES
Other thing: Complexity, related completly to C sharp way. Building Templates could be really a great help for users. Templates for classical object handling. There is so much parameters, different nodes to just arrive to do it properly. I m sure there is certain pattern of pieces of software we could have an editor, building them ( with all the create-update-new Operation thing). Templates and sub templates. With a template creator for creating your personnal templates also. And calling them in click.
All is for me the question of things to be clear and visible. I have the impression there is something to create to give to the user a best access to Gamma, wich is really cryptic on certain sides. I mean building a simple app, and having to dive to complex manipulations to create the structure of your software, i believe that there should be something better to do than the actual front end.
Voilà for my feedback, and if a dev read at it, please believe, i m in it and yes, what a master piece !
Cheers, christoph