[om-list] site and demo clarity (was Re: OM discussion on soylentnews

[OneModel general list]

Luke writes:

On 04/23/16 16:00, OneModel general list [from hendrick] wrote:
> I too found the demo hard to figure out.  I tried to post an item
> suggesting you have an ssh connection instead of telnet.  Not that I
> actually *need* ssh, but I had to enter *something*

> Perhaps not a video, but something that describes the conceptual
> structure, and explains how the commands are related to it.  Sort of a
> description of the model and controller.

Yes.  The model is the database as described in my other reply.  The 
controller class drives the TextUI class but could also drive other UIs. 
  The controller (with closely related classes in the same controller 
package) currently has methods like creating entities, attributes, 
calling the db  for queries, and passing the data back to the UI.

So, following the menus, after creating an entity one presses its menu 
letter to go in, then chooses 4 to add attributes (in detail; but you 
can just skip through the date questions by pressing Enter), create 
other entities inside it (creates a "has" relation by default), or type 
42 to search quickly for other entities to link to it, or type 
4<something else> to search in other ways.  Or 91<y|n> to set 
public/private status for exports, etc etc off the menus.

Or at a given entity, one can press 92 for import/export options.

To me at least, this maps to "knowledge", because I break things down 
into hierarchies: ideas and details, "things" (entities) and their 
component parts or attributes.  Like, I have a set of entities that link 
to family members, from there to my wife, from there to her hobbies (or 
something), from there to a thing she makes, from there to the dimension 
of a part.  I can find it by searching, or by linking from one thing to 
another in ways that make sense.  Or by paging through (now far too 
many) entities until I find it.  Later, things will hopefully be able to 
have different names based on context.

> Instead of a video, all thats really needed is text to explain and
> screenshots to show what's going on.  I can read text at my speed; a
> video is usually too slow or fast, and it's hard to look back to see
> something I may have missed.

I am the same way about text vs. videos.  Does the above get close, or 
are you thinking of a different kind of description?  Would putting 
something under "getting started" (paragraphs like the above, with 
editing/improvements) help?

> text may be easier to edit, too.
>
> -- hendrik
>

Thanks much for the continued discussion.  Don't hesitate to say so if I 
miss the point on something, repeatedly as needed.

-Luke

ps: I don't think anyone knew quite what to do w/ the demo.  I wonder if 
writing in the top of the demo text, by the bar with asterisks, 
something like "Read every single word on the screen, they are your 
friend.  Then experiment with all the options." would help or be too 
inhumane or insulting.  Maybe one important part omitted, is after 
creating an entity, to press its menu letter and then add things, then 
go exploring. Hmm.