Why is real creativity possible only with web programming?

Question

I think the developers of this application should do something about this. In other languages ​​it is not possible to create an interactive application, only a single input at the beginning of the program. Also, with the help of the web, it's easier and to do something for the Challenges that will be evaluated by appearance. It kills the art of programming. I believe that sololern should either equalize everyone in the possibilities. Because of this, many worthwhile applications can not be presented to the public. People should be able to show creativity, and not write "Hello, World!!" apps because they have a truncated IDE.

Answer 1

The suggestion for an interactive console has been submitted for as long as I exist. Needless to say, the devs are aware. There are however two things which should be acknowledged.

As I have addressed over the past twenty similar threads, having a live console would mean porting parts of the completely online IDE to the local storage of your device. Taking CppDroid for example, the app can go up to 200+ mb in size with external libraries installed, let alone an app for multiple languages. The increase in app size may not be desirable for the majority of the community.

A less important note would be that non-web codes mainly focus on logic and algorithms instead of building an attractive frontend. This is certainly not an excuse to make it OK to not have a live console - What I'm trying to stress on is that it is untrue that people are not able to showcase creativity using non-web languages on SoloLearn. Instead, I find that certain learners were able to show that the technical barrier inspires creativity.

Answer 2

About interactivity and non-web codes, a part of the solution comes with the use of databases.
You should read (for python) this thread and Kirk Schafer's great explanations and codes in it.
https://www.sololearn.com/Discuss/1387409/?ref=app

I can also add the interactive code I made for the chess contest as an example.

https://code.sololearn.com/c7qGb304fj59/?ref=app

I agree that Sololearn should remain lightweight to install, it's not a local IDE.
But more modules should be available. Some of them would allow many interesting features or would make interactivity much easier, and I don't understand why they are not installed. Ex: 'Request'.
This being said, I'm also enjoying a lot the 'do with what you have' context : )

Answer 3

I think if millions of people download heavy applications such as Mortal Combat X, the size will not be a problem. I agree that people can write some kind of sorting algorithm or data structure. But this is not a full-fledged application. The behavior of the program from start to finish should not depend on one single input, in which it is not even clear what to enter until you read the comments to the code, if they exist. Thus, people are limited in their creativity. There is no need an attractive interface.

Answer 4

It is as it is..
The chess challenge had some Python winner but the most trending and hot programs are web.
Kuba shew some cool stuff and also Anna is often in top 10 and her program was officially advertised.
web programs are on top for most Sololearners thats right. they get most upvotes.
programming beginners may not understand the art of a nonweb program but SL does.
You have to rely on SL fairness which I see as given and we have to accept that the main part of SL are beginners.
It is a bit like haute cuisine and Goethe, Bach and Dostojewski: They are... wooooowwwwww but u cant expect children to share that opinion.
Just show it and maybe some like the art of coding as much as the result of our web artists.

Answer 5

I disagree, I guess my best bet for GUI or interactivity would be to get a laptop/PC with enough power & storage, plus a full blown IDE to do things offline, not relying on remote compiler/interpreter, as you dubbed "truncated IDE".

Interactivity means every I/O will be transferred back & forth between our device and SL server *just in time*, but I believe SL team had made the right choice to gather all input once, before they are sent in, and to push back all output once, after the process completed. This means less traffic load. In case one hadn't noticed, even as it is now, SL server occasionally reach its peak, that saving or running code failed.

I think until everyone is equal in net speed and bandwidth, comparing online compiler with local IDE is not really "apple to apple". The choice is either one.

Just my opinion, we can always disagree : )

P.S. I think what we learn here matters more than getting people's attention.

Answer 6

Roman Khristoforov the point is to work with what we have and make the best of it.
ok one input per time is possible but u can provide a number of useful inputs after the first step if you print the next valid single input.
pong is not possible with that.. ok but a text-adventure can be done on sololearn.
In reality you are always missing things.
The point is to release the Mc. Gyver in yourself.
For the next challenge one could solve it with a database... there is none.
but again there will be some solutions with a kind of machine learning.

a surrogate might never reach the original but it is always a creative challenge.

Answer 7

This post well deserves the first ever cry_from_the_heart tag. Preach.

Answer 8

I think that many problem will raise for similar features...For any non-Web language SL woud be:

- implementented in js. This would be a pain to develop for SL team and above all make very weight all processing and goodbye to low devices

- Add in-app native compiler. Well considering that only c++ environment will consume 150-200mb imagine for more language. This add another problem, that its not simple implement all language natively (and on two platforms like ios and android) though many been implemented in other projects. This also say goodbye to low devices

Now considering these factors (and more importantly than SL make money with ads), you will think that they will can ever add this feature? I dont think.

Answer 9

True. That's really hard because It would need compilers built with javascript.
Or some kind of socket server which is also the reason why multiple inputs are not allowed which leads to need for different kind of compilers/interpreters.

Answer 10

Hatsy Rei maybe we can have an interactive interpreter run via web app, like trinket.io? recently someone created a program in python using that which run a program using web interface, so why cant we have something like this by default on sololearn? atleast people should be able to run programs with multiple inputs at various points during runtime rather than, giving all the inputs in one go

Answer 11

your question finally was very inspiring to me.
Voila - an interactive python program
https://code.sololearn.com/cqSxPBTKH5B9/?ref=app

Answer 12

yes i beleive the same. App should be upgraded. And atleast take runtime input.

Answer 13

It's a bit more complicated with compiled languages than web, as full web support is pretty much "just plug in a browser lmao". Getting graphics in non-web would require writing entirely new API which only masochists like me consider fun.

Answer 14

no

Answer 15

Oma Falk And what is the interactivity of this program? In that there are several conditions? Again we are dependent on one single input at the beginning. No messages of what we need to enter are also not displayed. I have to read a huge comment to understand something

Answer 16

yes,
this interaction is truly needed in all other progrmming languages...

Answer 17

it's because we can create a new thing by our imajination

Answer 18

php alle

Answer 19

Times are changing as it seems. When I started coding the first time, there was no web and „Hello World“ at console was the first „program“ I wrote. For me it is a lot easier to start learning a new language at the console. O.K., an IDE might be good too

Answer 20

Oma Falk: That's exactly what creativity is: CREATE something with LIMITATIONS.