Watch What I Do: Programming By Demonstration

Watch What I Do: Programming By Demonstration
by Allen Cypher

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About Book

From Library Journal
Is it possible to program without knowing a programming language? Cypher's collection of 18 examples shouts a loud "YES!" The premise is simple from a human perspective but incredibly complex from a computing view. If you know how to do something on your computer, your computer should know how to "watch" and "learn" your routines and then repeat them on demand. These are not mere macro recorders or preference settings but full-fledged programs learning by lurking in the background. The text opens with a description of Pygmalion, born nearly 20 years ago, and proceeds to describe applications such as Tinker, Metamouse, Garnet, Turvy, and Mondrian. As can be expected from MIT Press, this book is well designed for easy use, with an abundance of illustrations, wide margins for notes, and binding stitched to open flat on the desk. If you're wondering about the future of computing and of programming, you'll find all of the secrets here.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Until recently most programming power has been in the hands of the professional programmer rather than the end user. Programming by Demonstration is a method that allows end users to create, customize, and extend programs by demonstrating what the program should do. Programming by Demonstration systems have existed since 1975, yet this is the first time that information on all of the best of these systems has been gathered in one place. The first section of the book describes 18 computer implementations of Programming by Demonstration, and the second section discusses the problems and opportunities for this method in more general terms.

Included in the appendices is a test suite, a collection of practical examples illustrating the broad variety of tasks that are amenable to Programming by Demonstration. The test suite is also useful for researchers, who can evaluate their own systems in terms of how well they are able to automate these tasks.

Allen Cypher is a Research Scientist with the Advanced Technology Group, Apple Computer, Inc.

Contents: Introduction.
Section 1. Systems. Pygmalion. Tinker. A Predictive Calculator. Rehearsal World. SmallStar. Peridot. Metamouse. TELS. Eager. Garnet. The Turvy Experience. Chimera. The Geometer's Sketchpad. Tourmaline. A History-Based Macro by Example System. Mondrian. Triggers. The AIDE Project.
Section II. Components. A History of Editable Graphical, Histories. Graphical Representation and Feedback in a PBD System. PBD Invocation Techniques. A System-Wide Macro Facility Based on Aggregate Events. Making Programming Accessible to Visual Problem Solvers. Using Voice Input to Disambiguate Intent.
Section III. Perspectives. Characterizing PBD Systems. Demonstrational Interfaces. Just-in-Time Programming.

About the Author
/Allen Cypher is one of the founders of Stagecast Software. He was formerly a Senior Scientist in the Advanced Technology Group at Apple Computer.

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