Programmable applications: exploring the potential for language/interface symbiosis

Programmable applications are software systems that seek to combine the learnability and accessibility of direct manipulation interfaces with the expressive power and range of programming languages. In this paper we explore techniques for creatively integrating language and interface constructs within programmable applications. Using SchemePaint—a programmable graphics application—as a source of examples, we demonstrate how an interface and language can combine symbolically and thereby provide powerful modes of expression within applications.