QOTW:  "... use arrays when you need arrays (... elements can be traced and
linked to Tk widgets; shorthand syntax; works in all versions of Tcl).  Use
dicts when you need dicts (advantages: elements can't be traced, dicts aren't
tied to variables).  [array get] and [array set] provide good ways to convert
between dicts and arrays." 
"... if you need traces on individual elements (for instance, to make the
elements -textvariable's of entry widgets), again arrays are your thing."
    Joe English and Kevin Kenny, in tag-team pedagogy


Thanks to Arjen Markus for his weekly summary of Wiki action:
  It is heartwarming to see so many applications created at least 
  partially with Tcl/Tk on the Wiki ... but let us not forget 
  the techniques used to bring them to the world!
  
  Why?
  - Why introduce new control structures? Partly because Tcl makes
    it easy and partly because this is useful.
    <http://wiki.tcl.tk/685>
  
  - Why use Tcl with command-line not unlike Perl's or AWK's? 
    Maybe because so many people want that. But don't forget
    the inreractive shell Tcl provides without any fuss!
    <http://wiki.tcl.tk/17599>
  
  - Why contemplate an operating system that only uses Tcl
    for scripting? Well, it is fun to consider what you need 
    for this task. And what do you know? Etlinux is almost
    such a system - <http://wiki.tcl.tk/16116>
  
  Testing, 1, 2, 3
  - TkXext is an extension that is meant to help automating
    arbitrary applications. Well, at least applications 
    based on the X Window System. <http://wiki.tcl.tk/2116>
  
  - So there you are with your cell phone and a whole bunch
    of messages ... How do you archive them? Here is a
    nice little tool: <http://wiki.tcl.tk/17538>
  
  - Visualising sounds? It is not impossible, as oscilloscope
    enthousiasts know. <http://wiki.tcl.tk/8021>
  
  - We can even use BLT to implement an oscilloscope, at least
    it is able to handle large amounts of data quickly!
    <http://wiki.tcl.tk/17511>
  
  - Scanning the recent changes your chronicler stumbled 
    across a page he had completely forgotten about. Good 
    thing the Wiki has a better memory ... 
    <http://wiki.tcl.tk/12387>


Everything Tcl-related you want is probably one or two clicks away in these
pages:
    The "Welcome to comp.lang.tcl" message by Andreas Kupries
        http://www.purl.org/net/tcl-welcome
    comp.lang.tcl is a crucial resource for Tcl practitioners.
    An interesting perspective on its traffic appears at
        http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.tcl/about

    The Tcl Developer Site is Tcl's "home base".
	http://www.tcl.tk

    Larry Virden maintains a comp.lang.tcl FAQ launcher.
        http://www.purl.org/NET/Tcl-FAQ/

    The Tcl Developer Xchange is a highly organized resource center
    of documents and software with provisions for individuals to
    maintain references to their own software:
        http://www.tcl.tk/resource/
    The TDX sponsor, ActiveState, also keeps info to convince your
    boss Tcl is a good thing
        http://www.tcl.tk/scripting/

    The Tcl'ers Wiki is a huge, dynamic, collaboratively edited repository
    of documentation, examples, tutorials and pontifications on all things 
    Tcl.
        http://wiki.tcl.tk/0
    For the ideal overview of the topics about Tcl most likely to
    interest a newcomer, see "Arts and Crafts ..."
        http://wiki.tcl.tk/969
    There's also a high-quality Wikibook on Tcl:
        http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Programming:Tcl

    ActiveState maintains binaries distribution and development tools
        http://www.activestate.com/Tcl
    along with a Cookbook of Tcl recipes
        http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Tcl

    "La Gazette du Técleux" is an important monthly publication.
	http://wfr.tcl.tk/1159

    deli.cio.us presents an intriguing approach to reference commentary.
    It already aggregates quite a bit of Tcl intelligence.
        http://del.icio.us/tag/tcl

    Cameron Laird tracks several Tcl/Tk references of interest (but
    needs to validate many of the links).
        http://phaseit.net/claird/comp.lang.tcl/

    Years ago, Cetus Links maintained a Tcl/Tk page with verified links
        http://www.cetus-links.org/oo_tcl_tk.html

    "Yahoo! Groups" archives comp.lang.tcl.announce posts--even 
    though clta itself is dormant.
        http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tcl_announce/

We're working on more useful archives of past installments.  In the
meantime, an alternative is
  http://groups.google.com/groups?oi=djq&as_q=+Tcl-URL&as_ugroup=comp.lang.tcl

Suggestions/corrections for next week's posting are always welcome.

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--
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