Introducing Mathwright Microworlds
You
may be wondering what Microworlds are. We
use the term: Microworld in the sense that Seymour Papert did
when he, in his groundbreaking book: Mindstorms,
Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas,
discussed the possibilities of an emerging synergy between
computer environments and mathematical pedagogy. These thoughts were couched
in the discussion of Logo, a computer language
designed to elicit questions, and to promote learning by playing.
Mathwright
Microworlds
are multi-page documents that you may read either on line in your browser,
using MathwrightWeb, or off line, using Mathwright32 Reader.
You will be able to download and install those free readers below. Both are
written in Mathscript on top of LISP on top of Java. The version of Java that
we used to build them is Microsoft's J++ 6.0 because this makes available
a flexible and simple authoring environment (Mathwright32 Author) and a friendly
and transparent reader environment. This requires Microsoft's Java Virtual
Machine (JVM) which has been installed with Windows. All versions of Windows
before Spring 2003 have the JVM, but Windows XP does not automatically install
it any more. This is because Microsoft will not have permission from Sun Microsystems
to upgrade its JVM after 2007.
Most
likely, you have the Microsoft JVM on your machine, and you will have no problem
reading our Microworlds in your browser or in your private collection of off
line Microworlds. If you do not have the Microsoft JVM, however, we have two
solutions. The simplest solution will be to download the Microsoft JVM and
install it. We have Microsoft's permission to distribute it to you, and you
may download a free copy for
Windows 95/98/Me or XP here (5 M). If you
are using Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000, then Microsoft provides a download
at its site. You may get that there.
This
is a short-term solution, and the long-term solution lies in Microsoft's new
.NET (pronounced "dotnet") framework. You will notice that
there are two new Players (MathwrightNET and Mathwright32 NET Reader).
Those are written in anticipation of Microsoft's next operating system after
XP, that should include its new .NET framework. For now, it's
best to stick with MathwrightWeb
and Mathwright32 Reader.
But
if you enjoy adventure, and want a preview of this marvelous new technology,
then you may download MathwrightNET or Mathwright32 NET Reader
and read all of our Microworlds on the .NET platform instead. The
Microworlds themselves do not care whether you are using MathwrightWeb or
MathwrightNET. In order to do that you
will first need three things, that you can get right here.
First,
you will need the .NET Framework, version 1.0.3705 (nicknamed version
1.0). If you do not have it installed on your machine, you can download
it here (21 M). If you happen to have
a later version, this will not interfere with that, but you will have to
get version 1.0 for now.Next,
you will need the J# redistributable runtime (J# is the NET version
of Java) and you may download that here
(6.4 M).Finally,
in order to use our data tables, you will need the MDAC Version 2.6
(Microsoft Data Access Components) and you can get that here
(5 M).Generally
you will download the MathwrightWeb or Mathwright32 Reader version
of the control if you have Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine (JVM) installed
with Windows. If you cannot see the Microworlds in your browser, you may choose
simply to download the JVM
The
NET versions are tied to Microsoft's new .NET initative and will support a
number of surprising extensions to Mathwright in coming years, but you can
only use it now if you have the .NET framework installed on your machine.
And that, as you see is at present, a pretty hefty download. Of course, that
will almost certainly change with the next version of Windows.
e.
The Java MathwrightWeb ActiveX Control makes it possible for you to
enter Mathwright Microworlds in your Web Browser. A Mathwright Microworld
is like an applet, with two differences. First, while it is running in Java,
it is generally faster than a generic applet because it uses a mathematics
engine that is housed in the MathwrightWeb Control -- running in your machine.
Second, its object-oriented design and colloquial interface generally present
a more versatile and expressive learning environment to the reader that applets
can.
The
MathwrightWeb Control is the 32-bit version of Mathwright. It makes use of
an object-oriented computer algebra system that has benefited from over 18
years of development with and by teachers. Like applets, it is designed to
elicit and invite reader questions by presenting a simple User Interface.
But a Microworld has the power and range that a generic applet can seldom
achieve and this makes possible a wide variety of reader interactions. It
invites students to play.
Click the Atom below to download the new free 3D MathwrightWeb ActiveX Control
Last Update: 4/08/04, Version 2.30
When
you visit a Microworld Title Page (See the listing below)
you will be offered the option of either viewing it in your Browser using
the MathwrightWeb control above, or of viewing it offline with the
Mathwright32 Reader below. The latter choice is much faster, and will
allow you to read the book any time you want without having to be online at
all!
Once
you download our free Reader just below, then simply click Get This Microworld!
on the Title Page of the Microworld, and it will be downloaded to your machine
and installed in a directory there. You may find it whenever you want to view
it, by going to the Start, Programs, Mathwright32 Reader menu.
...Or, Click the Atom below to download the new free 3D Mathwright32 Offline Reader and LISP Interpreter
Last Update: 4/08/04, Version 2.30
WorkBooks marked Project WELCOME below were developed under the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) Project WELCOME. This Project is made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation DUE/EMD under grant #9952530
The Lava project, which contributed much to the development of MathwrightWeb and Mathwright32, was funded in 1999-2000 by eduprise.com
...And
now for something completely different...
--
Monty Python
About Mathwright Microworlds
We
think that you will agree that our Mathematical Microworlds offer the
promise of something entirely new and fresh for Mathematics on the Web.
As we translate the Library WorkBooks into MathwrightWeb format, Library
Members will have free access to all the new WorkBooks in their MSIE browsers.
You may join the Library here. Web authors
who would like to place any of the current Library WorkBooks on their
own web pages now as Microworlds, visit the Teachers'
Lounge for details. No programming of any sort is required.
To
enter our Microworlds, your browser must be able to read ActiveX controls.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 Browser (or later) is so equipped.
You should check that the Security Settings under Tools, Internet Options,
Security for the Internet, Custom Level has:
If
you have any difficulty with this procedure, please let us know at our
Feedback page.
If
you do not find the sky-blue Microworld window labeled: Mathwright Microworld
on a Microworld page, it may be that your browser (older versions of NetScape/AOL
for example) does not support ActiveX controls. You will see instead a
tiny icon that represents the Microworld. In this case, we recommend you
either upgrade, or use Microsoft Internet Explorer (4.0 or later). And
in any case, you may have to tweak the security options as above to see
the sky-blue window.
Most
likely, you have the Microsoft JVM on your machine, and you will have
no problem reading our Microworlds in your browser or in your private
collection of off line Microworlds. If you do not have the Microsoft JVM,
however, the simplest solution will be to download the Microsoft JVM and
install it. We have Microsoft's permission to distribute it to you, and
you may download a free copy for
Windows 95/98/Me or XP here (5 M).
Several
of the Microworlds make use of Databases as Active Data Objects. This
means that you do not have to have a database program to use these data
bases, but you should have the MS Access Database or the MS
Access 97 Database installed as a Data Source Name. To be sure
that your setup is ready to use them. In
Windows 95/98/ME, just go to the Control Panel, and under ODBC Data Sources,
select the User DSN tab. If MS Access Database or MS
Access 97 Database is already installed, you are all set! Otherwise,
press the Add... button, and double-click on the Microsoft Access
Driver (*.mdb) entry. Then, in the Data Source Name, type MS Access
Database.
That's
all there is to it! In Windows 2000, the procedure is essentially the
same
In
order to use MathwrightWeb to visit a Mathwright Microworld, you must
install the Control once. Then, just browse to a website (such as this
one) that posts MathwrightWeb Microworlds. Follow their link to the Title
page. In
the Title page for a Microworld, click the hyperlink on the title of the
Microworld. If the Microworld is a free demo, you will be taken directly
to it. If it is a regular Library holding, you will be asked to sign in.
Then you will be taken to it.
| - James E. White, Ph.D. , Library Director, | ||
| author of this website, Mathwright 2000, MindScapes, | ||
| MathwrightWeb, and Mathwright32 |