Suggestion Whiteboard for writing on

leroyjenkens

Hello, I just wanted to suggest maybe, if it's possible, a whiteboard (or blackboard) feature for math and physics questions and it will show up in the person's post with what they wrote, so they can write complicated looking equations with different symbols and stuff really easily.

Borek

We have LaTeX for equations - what it generates is much more readable than what you could draw.

leroyjenkens

Yeah, I thought about sloppy handwriters, but Latex is kinda hard to use for some people, and it takes a while to figure out. I figured out how to use it for some things, but some other things I just couldn't get to work.

And it would allow users to draw circuits or other diagrams.

Vanadium 50

If we replace LaTeX with something else because some people don't want to take the time to learn how to use it, what guarantee is there that people won't want to take the time to learn how to use this other thing?

leroyjenkens

It's not a replacement. It could be for people who rarely post equations, or don't have the time to figure out how to type up the equation. And it could be used for drawing diagrams, like circuits. I was going to ask a question about a circuit, but I don't know of any way to show the circuit, other than drawing it in MS paint and uploading the picture.
And if someone needs to be taught how to draw on a whiteboard, then I think they're on the wrong forum.

AlephZero

Have you ever tried drawing or writing freehand with a mouse?

Or do you expect other people to buy graphics tablets or computers with touch screens just so they can join in?

flatmaster

I recall one poster putting a whole bunch of greek letters and equations in his signature. From here, you have a convenient place to copy and paste without hunting down obscure characters.

PhizKid

Bamboo Connects are about $70: http://www.wacom.com/en/products/pen...bamboo-connect

leroyjenkens

Yeah, and while it's not perfect, it's not something that needs to be taught.
I just drew a circuit from one of my homework questions in MS paint and it took 1 minute. I'll upload it.
You don't need to be an artist to do this, so people won't be staring at the whiteboard, sidelined, wishing they could afford a graphics tablet.

Remember, this is just a suggestion. If you don't like it, just say so, but don't grasp at straws for reasons that the idea is absurd.

Attached Thumbnails

 

I_am_learning

^ is that 3.0A or 3.9A? You are very clear at other place.
But I believe most people aren't as fluent as you with mouse. I can't produce a single readable word with free hand mouse.
I think a better option would be WYSIWYG math input panel with lots of toolbars for symbols, but that is too expensive thing to ask for free.

jedishrfu

This argument once came up over the use of APL. Prof Iverson (IBM) was giving a lecture on the advantages of APL when a GE engineer asked why we all had to buy a terminal with an arcane keyboard with all those funny greek letters.

Iverson just glared at the guy and said you expect me to design a language in a way compatible with YOUR keyboard which caused the GE engineer to slink down in his seat to hide from view.

(Think of the original Wizard of OZ movie: When the Wizard as a ball of fire spoke with the shaking tinman followed by the cowardly lion running from the hall)

I like the idea of a whiteboard where you can draw something to post. We interact with the world differently now and people are transitioning from desktop PC to tablet slowly but surely.

:::Dream mode on:::

It should also allow us to draw stuff in color and should have a text labeling capability..

and some links to go with the dream (its an internet connected dream):

http://mudcu.be/sketchpad/

http://smashinghub.com/10-best-html5...-designers.htm

:::Dream mode off:::

Studiot

Anyone remember Kidpix?

Greg Bernhardt

time warp! i loved KidPix!!

jedishrfu

I myself played with koalapad on the C64 a more primitive but cool app of 1984:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koalapad

flatmaster

I have just the software for this. It's intuitive, cheap, and readily available to everyone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxx2KcPWWZg

jedishrfu

This was a waste of time! I thought we were talking about a web-based drawng program not MSPaint for Windows. Not everyone here uses windows.

For me the problem is I want to respond to a post with a drawing but I have to draw it, save it, upload it and then provide a link. Why cant a canvas appear and the drawing just added to the post.

Perhaps like Google's svg-edit:

http://svg-edit.googlecode.com/svn-h...vg-editor.html

G01

The same argument applies for the forum's Latex interface. It's not perfect, but people should learn it...