Computer-based documentation and instruction
First Claim
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1. A method, performed on a computer system, of instructing a user, the method comprising:
- generating a plurality of predefined interactive examples;
performing, in response to a user selection, one or more of the predefined interactive examples;
providing, in synchronization with the performed interactive example, explanatory information corresponding to the predefined interactive example; and
receiving information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example;
wherein;
generating the predefined interactive example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example, and providing the explanatory information corresponding to the predefined interactive example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example.
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Abstract
User instruction on a computer system involves performing an interactive example and providing, in synchronization with the interactive example, explanatory information corresponding to the example. The explanatory information presented explains what most recently occurred in the interactive example and is updated automatically to correspond with the current state of the interactive example.
108 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method, performed on a computer system, of instructing a user, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of predefined interactive examples;
performing, in response to a user selection, one or more of the predefined interactive examples;
providing, in synchronization with the performed interactive example, explanatory information corresponding to the predefined interactive example; and
receiving information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example;
wherein;
generating the predefined interactive example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example, and providing the explanatory information corresponding to the predefined interactive example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-based method of educating a user of a computer system, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of predefined interactive demonstrations;
performing one or more of the predefined interactive demonstrations relating to a selected topic;
receiving information from source code associated with the predefined interactive demonstration;
presenting the user with an annotation descriptive of the performed interactive demonstration in coordination with performance of the predefined interactive demonstration; and
allowing the user to selectively explore different aspects of the performed interactive demonstration, the annotation, or both;
wherein;
generating the predefined interactive demonstration includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive demonstration, and presenting the annotation descriptive of the performed interactive demonstration includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive demonstration.
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22. A computer-based instructional system comprising:
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a plurality of predefined interactive examples, each predefined interactive example being selectively executable by a user of a computer system;
annotations describing each predefined interactive example, different annotations being provided automatically in response to and in synchronization with selective execution of a predefined interactive example; and
a unified body of source code associated with a predefined interactive example;
wherein;
each predefined interactive example is built by extracting information from the unified body of source code associated with that predefined interactive example, and annotations describing a predefined interactive example are built by extracting information from the unified body of source code associated with the predefined interactive example. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method, performed on a computer system, of instructing a user, the method comprising:
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generating a plurality of predefined instructional examples;
performing, in response to a user selection, one or more of the predefined instructional examples;
simultaneously providing explanatory information associated with each performed example;
permitting user interaction with at least one of the performed examples and the explanatory information;
maintaining synchronization between the performed example and the associated explanatory information in response to the user interaction; and
receiving information from source code associated with the predefined instructional example;
wherein;
generating the predefined instructional example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined instructional example, and providing explanatory information associated with a performed example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined instructional example.
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40. A method, performed on a computer system of educating a user about computer programming concepts, the method comprising:
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allowing the user to designate a programming topic of interest;
providing the user with an annotation descriptive of the designated programming topic;
enabling the user to selectively execute a predefined interactive example instructive of the designated programming topic;
receiving information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example;
displaying a result of the selectively executed predefined interactive example; and
simultaneously with execution of the predefined interactive example, automatically updating the annotation to display information that explains the displayed result of the predefined interactive example;
wherein;
executing the predefined interactive example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example, and providing the annotation descriptive of the designated programming topic includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined interactive example instructive of the designated programming topic.
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41. A computer-based method of instructing a user, the method comprising:
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providing a user with access to predefined executable interactive examples and explanatory annotations descriptive of the executable interactive examples;
receiving information from source code associated with a predefined executable interactive example;
launching a predefined executable interactive example in response to user selection; and
displaying corresponding portions of the explanatory annotations in synchronization with state changes in the launched executable interactive example;
wherein;
launching the predefined executable interactive example includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined executable interactive example, and displaying corresponding portions of the explanatory annotations includes extracting the received information from source code associated with the predefined executable interactive example.
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Specification