Greetings all,

I am working on creating a series of two courses teaching essence mapping from the beginning to the end.

In conjunction with that, I and the 3Literati have standardized X mapping.

We have separated it into two official forms: firstX, and X+.

FirstX is thus dubbed because it is based off of one of the original forms of essence mapping that we ever did. It was our first reasonably standardized form, at least. As such, it is extremely simple, and also quite a bit less capable than X+.

X+ is thus dubbed because it is the farthest we have reached in the art of essence mapping. With it you can capture and communicate concepts and impressions that it would be impossible to with any other system on the planet (at least that I know of, of course). Of course, as such, it is also far more complex and difficult to grasp than firstX.

Both of the syntaxes for these two systems are set, for ease of use. You do them a certain way (just like you ride a bike a certain way, more or less). If you do it different, a hidden red button will be pressed, and you will be instantly cremated.

Just kidding there...

Actually, what will happen is that you will cease to be doing either firstX or X+: you will be doing freestyle essence mapping. Completely on your own, improvising your heart out. Which we can't of course stop you from doing. * chuckles * Besides, maybe you will come up with something cool, and we might integrate it with another official version of essence mapping. (It's open source, you know.)

So over the course of the next few weeks or so, we will be moving these forums around a bit to reflect this new change (as well as other changes down the road to accommodate my course). So don't be worried.

I will be posting a tutorial introducing firstX soon (I am assuming you guys will want that one before the one for X+...). Hopefully. If all goes well. Lord willing. If the weather holds. <insert extraneous cliche expression of hopefulness in the face of doubt>

If you have any questions... don't hesitate to post them.

*chuckles* It's open-source? You love organization, don't you =) Anyways, glad to see that this will be happening. Is X+ basically the oft-promised X++? And firstX is like Xbeginner and Xbasic? Why not just call it X?

Anyways, looking forward to your changes--just promise us there won't be too many more of them =)

eruheran

Yep, I do. Haha.

Yes, X+ is X++, just with a simpler name. Haha.

FirstX is not like Xbeginner or Xbasic. It is entirely different from those as far as syntax goes, and they are deprecated and removed from the official recommendation list. Officially, if you use Xbeginner or Xbasic, if you use the parts that differ from X+, you are going freestyle.

X is the name for both firstX and X+, so we can't very well call a subcategory of itself by the same name.

*nods* That all makes sense.

And I still think someday you'll be heading up something much bigger than the 'ECSS Working Group'. I don't know many other people who use the words deprecated, recommendation, and syntax when referring to their projects--except me =P

eruheran