DO NOT install Alice from your textbook. Instead install Alice 2.2 from the www.alice.org then click on "Downloads", and then "Get Alice 2.2." Be sure to download Alice 2.2 version (get the most recent version, 8/5/2011). This is a version with many bugs fixed. Save the Alice .zip file on your computer, then extract all files.
Alice is free.
After typing your NetId, you will have access to your Duke space. You can upload a file from your computer to your Duke web space (in the folder public_html).
This transfer method does not work with Alice files, only simple files such as html files, and image files.
There are lots of choices. F-Secure is a good one for Windows, Fugu is a good one for Macs. Feel free to pick another, but do not use WEBFILES. It does not transfer Alice files correctly.
These programs are free for Duke Students.
When you first create the file select the option "Make Plain Text" (in the Format menu). Also, go to the Preferences, and check the box which says "Ignore rich text commands in HTML files" (this might be in the "Open and Save" tab). You can also click the radio button saying "Plain Text" if you want new files to be in plain text by default, which is what you want when just editing raw HTML code.
On the CD that comes with the text, find the Alice folder. Inside the Alice folder, find
Once the Mac version of Alice is installed on their Mac, you can copy the textbookExampleWorlds folder and its contents from the CD into the same location on your installed Alice folders. Upon startup, Alice will automatically recognize the folder and you will have the textbook examples available.
If you have a one button mouse, to "right click" you will need to press and hold the CTRL key and then click the button.
There seems to be a "Take Picture" button when you play Alice worlds, but it's grayed-out on my Mac version of Alice and you can't click it... Hmmm. Perhaps this is a bug or incomplete feature on the Mac version.
You can take snapshots of a portion of your screen by pressing Shift-Apple-4. After you do this, your mouse cursor will change into a cross-shaped targeting reticle thing. Click and drag to select a portion of the screen. You'll hear a clicking noise like a camera. A file will be created called "Picture 1.png" on your desktop -- this is a picture of the area you selected (the ".png" extension at the end might be invisible by default, but it is there). You can use this feature to take pictures of your Alice worlds even though that pesky "Take Picture" button is grayed out.
When you take a picture, it may create it as a .pdf file. If you preview it, then you can export it to a .jpg (convert it to another form).
Microsoft knows that reliable software is not cost
effective. According to studies, 90% to 95% of all bugs are
harmless. They're
never discovered by users, and they don't affect performance. It's much
cheaper
to release buggy software and fix the 5% to 10% of bugs people find and
complain
about.
- Bruce Schneier