Author Topic: Tutorials wanted :) (Read 15493 times)

Shockwave · « **on:** February 14, 2009 »

It is about time that I got to programming the tutorial part of the website, the approach I have decided to take is that the tutorials should be downloadable in the same way as the resources and showcases.

With this in mind, each tutorial will be contained in it's own ZIP or RAR file, this has a lot of benefits.

It means that we will be able to take tutorials in whatever format they are provided, be that as a html page, a richtext file or pdf file.

If it is a HTML file, you will be able to include pictures as part of the page, and this is a typical format that the tutorial could be contained in the archive;

FOLDER
Tutorialname.html
source code(s)
pictures / screen shots
executable example(s)

Once I have at least 5 completed tutorials I will launch the tutorial part of the website.

Tutorials can be any file size you like up to 10mb each so please feel free to include as much into them as you like.

When I launch the tutorial part it won't be a half arsed job, there will be a download counter and as well as that, if the person is logged into the forum, they will be able to rate (not anonymously) and a special forum will be created for the discussion of the tutorials

Only one thing remains, please send any tutorials you have to;

nicksimpsonx [at] googlemail [dot] com

Thanks

Pixel_Outlaw · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2009 »

This is a very exciting step!
I will look forward to some well-written quality tutorials from the awesome coders here.

I suppose that no part of demo coding should be overlooked. After all, we have had some people new to coding join occasionally. For the new demo makers, it is nice to have a few simple effects that give a sense of pride when learned. I think it is important that all ability levels are covered.

Clyde · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2009 »

I will see if I can get hold of the tutorial I did on tilemaps for Blitz Coder way back then.
If it unaccessable, I will create some new ones.

I think you should start of by covering these kinds of things for beginners, then add stuff for more evolving concepts.

Different kinds of Variables.
For And while Loops.
If's And Select Case. ( this I will do )
Setting up and using TinyPtc / TinyPtc_Ext
Using Binary To .Bas file aka Bin2Bas

combatking0 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2009 »

I can create executable flash files, but these can be about 1MB larger than a plain .swf

I'll certainly convert my flash tutorials from .doc to .html as the .swfs can be embedded.

Shockwave · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2009 »

You can include the SWF's as they are if you like CK, remember that everything is contained in one folder so a user can open it on the desktop with their favourite browser and look at it offline

I think that some SWF's would be really cool, don't be afraid of going up to 10mb, it really doesnt matter to most people these days.

benny! · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2009 »

Exciting plan. Will follow the progress and if time permits
write a tutorial on my own!

Shockwave · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2009 »

A tutorial on getting started in Actionscript would be particularly great if you manage to grab enough time

relsoft · « **Reply #7 on:** February 18, 2009 »

I have some really old tutorials somewhere. :*)

Shockwave · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2009 »

It would be an absolute pleasure to host them Rel.

How's your php learning coming along?

relsoft · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2009 »

Quote from: Shockwave on February 18, 2009

It would be an absolute pleasure to host them Rel.

How's your php learning coming along?

Zero growth. :*(

I was in the hospital (again) for more than a week and almost got back to the ER two nights ago.

My wife forbade anything computer related while we were in the hospital. I was reduced to playing my daughter's Pokemon game on her GBA. :*(

Shockwave · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2009 »

When you are well enough mate I am still here

Just let me know when you want to start again k?

Clyde · « **Reply #11 on:** April 16, 2009 »

how many do you have?

Shockwave · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2009 »

So far I have 0.

Which is a shame, but then again this place has been too quiet for too long anyway, there's maybe about 12 people who post regularly, it used to be better, I am deciding what to do about it at the moment to be honest with you Clyde.

Clyde · « **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2009 »

Ok no worries there dude, ive noticed it is very quiet of late; something must of happend at the start of the year.

I've made some enquiries at other sites to try and track down some old friends of ours, but all ive really got is links to other web forums; most of which have the trolls we all know.

I do have 2 tuts which just need a bit more adding; they wont go to waste as they can be posted in the relevant categories, depending on what ever the decision.

Looking forward to seeing what SMF 2.0 has in store; when real life lets you break free. I think that Tiny Portal got updated, or was that some of the themes.

You never know members, guests and the spiders reading these replies, might think, o bugger thats what I was going to do, and start sending them your way. Fingers crossed, as it would make a nice addition especially if you are new blood to programmmming.

Shockwave · « **Reply #14 on:** April 19, 2009 »

I discussed this with my friends who also run the forum, one of them said something that really made me think, and that was that this place is the most busy when there is a new language that everyone is converting thier stuff to.

I found that unsettling to read but it may be true.

So does it mean that unless we all find a new killer language that we all want to use that the place is destined to stagnate, or is it merely a case of people (generally) do not post what they are working on any more?

There is a phrase that will apply here.. A rising tide rises all ships.

Maybe what this place needs is simple for more people to be posting what they are working on.. Or perhaps it's just that people aren't working on anything at the moment.

As soon as I start working on something again I'll post it in the hope that it gets the ball rolling again, tbh it hurts my feelings to see this place so quiet, it's taken a long time (both mine and everyone elses) to get it as it is.

Let's hope that more busy times are around the corner.

Clyde · « **Reply #15 on:** April 24, 2009 »

My few pennies worth and in no way being Mr Negative.

In all areas it's been almost like a ghost town past 2 weeks. Some folks must surely be working on releases, or are they going straight to pouet/net / scene org.

Where everyone's scone I havent a clue. Maybe their hooked on one of the social networks.

It just the usual groupies now, with the new members having a gander at the areas which is what your generally do when signing up before gaining the want for more knowledge.

I noted it went quieter when DBF the group announced it's retirement, so you must of had a cult following that you never knew you had.

I am also surprised that there arent more people from the official FreeBASIC site over here, especially some of the developers. The link i asked for is still up over there.

Onething this downtime will work in your favour, as you can make any upgrades / features you admins / mods see fit.

At the end of the day, its most probably a seasonal thing, with members back at schooling who might have strict parents that limit their internet usuage. Can't really compare with the ezboard site, as it had its own unique atmosphere - there were more general topics with more than a few sentences.

Not expecting a reply as I know your all busy with real life, just a few passing thoughts I wanted to get out.

Back to topic, if you need tutorials I have a couple.

Shockwave · « **Reply #16 on:** April 28, 2009 »

Thanks for your thoughts Clyde, I will reply to the post I am just considering some of the things you mentioned.

As for the tutorials, pleasesend them over to me at nicksimpsonx [at] googlemain [dot] com. cheers.

zawran · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2009 »

A lot of people are probably already working on projects of their own, and writing tutorials takes a lot of time. So often answering specific questions seems easier than having to explain everything. It can also be difficult to make a decision on what subject to write a tutorial about. These are some of the reasons why I think not a lot of people make tutorials.

One possible community project could be that there were made a list of subjects which people felt tutorials were missing, and for which programming languages. Then people could commit to write specific tutorials for the language of their choice, and eventually it could lead to having a collection of useful tutorials with the same subject and for each of the languages agreed upon. I do not know if there would be support for such an idea, I am just throwing it outthere as yet another suggestion.

benny! · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2009 »

Good points there Clyde mentioned. Still do not know what we can do to
make this place a bit more popular

Shockwave · « **Reply #19 on:** April 29, 2009 »

I've had a good think about some of the things Clyde mentioned above, this topic has actually been discussed in the forum we use to discuss the running of the board too and a few interesting points were raised there too.

Including one that the main life of the forum comes from when the users migrate to a new language, all the stock effects are converted to that language and then the posts dry up.

That troubled me so much that I have even thought of making an online questionaire and sending it to all the members to see what people think but no matter what it comes back out as, the answer is much more simple I am afraid.

I suspect it's lack of posting activity, pure and simple.

People who just come here and read the posts and don't contribute anything don't harm the board but don't do it any favours either.
The lack of posts made a downward trend, despite the efforts of some of the members and some of the moderators, the trend has got worse.

So.

The situation is this, either the members of the board post about stuff that they are interested in or the board will stagnate. I am not going to prop it up with dozens of my own posts this time as I did in the past, this time it will live or die by it's own merit.

So if you want the forum active, please post more. If you are someone who just drops by to read it, please consider supporting it with some posts.

This is not meant to come accross as negative, it really does need to be sorted out but I need to have the help of everyone who cares because I just can't commit as much time as I used to.

I refuse to accept that the board dies because all the effects have been done in freebasic or c++ or fasm or whatever. There are loads of new productuons coming out all the time, there are meetings and parties to discuss and the scope of the forum should only be limited by the collective imagination of everyone here.

Finally I want to thank the active members of the admin team and the members of the forum who do post and answer questions and post their thoughts on general stuff.

The questionaire will probably be a reality soon, I am interested to know if we can revive the forum. If it does turn out to stagnate I will just keep it online so it would just exist as a reference library. It won't be closed, but it might be closed to new posts eventually if it carries on this way.