ScratchStang

Mass Interview: Why Did You Join Scratch?

Ever wondered how Scratch got more than ten million users? More than 30 Scratchers answered why they joined Scratch.

"My story about why I joined Scratch goes back pretty far. About 5 years ago, I started playing a game called Animal Jam. I hate to say this but I got, well, addicted. I loved it so much I wanted to make a game similar to it. I did some research and discovered that I costs way too much to buy a program that can run multiple multiplayer servers. However, someone I'm very close to in real life knew I wanted to make a game so that person introduced me to Scratch. At first I just played games but when I decided to make my first game, I made an account to share it and so that's how I got on Scratch."

@ScratchStang

"I joined Scratch because I joined a Summer Camp about Scratch. I was interested about Scratch, I tried it, and I loved it. That's why I am here."

@syang19

"I joined Scratch because my friend was using it and I wanted to know what it was and how to use it. I used it for school in the beginning, but then I started making my own projects."

@Chowm1

"Before I was in Scratch, I used to make games on Sploder. It was easy and okay, but I really wanted to "actually" script a game. Then my brother showed me this thing called Scratch and a game he made. I wanted to try and use it so I made an account and went to making a game! The problem was, it was so confusing to me! I never made a game, and my profile was empty for 2 years. Then just for fun in last November, I decided to make a game on Scratch. I actually took my time and learnt how to use the program. I decided to make more games after that, and that's pretty much how I joined Scratch!"

@applepiesleth

"Well, 5 years ago I was researching how to create games on YouTube and a appeared tutorial on Scratch. From there I went into the Scratch."

@lucasoanimador

"As a young kid, I always loved creating things. The first things I ever created on a computer were animations. However, I had no animation software, so I used Microsoft power point transitions to manipulate images. One day I sat down at my Dad's computer to open up power point when I noticed a new icon on his desktop: A funny looking cat. Being a curious kid, I clicked on it, and discovered Scratch! I looked up a few tutorials on YouTube, figured things out, and eventually made an account."

@PullJosh

"I knew it would help me on later when i move on to bigger things like java or python, but I have found great difficulty moving on cuz i made good friends and because Scratch is more FUN!"

@iRocket3

"I was hooked on Scratch almost immediately after my middle school sub teacher introduced it to me for our programming unit. I decided to join Scratch (the day before Scratch 2.0 was released) a few days since it was introduced to me, and the first project I created was featured in a featured studio - inspiring me to share more projects. On my first account, I usually worked on games or interactive projects - but then I considered trying something unique, such as making personality quizzes (which Scratchers like, apparently), hence the username. I enjoyed making them as well, and will probably continue to do so, knowing that my eager followers like them. Scratch expresses my creativity pretty well. And I'm happy to inspire many Scratchers to make personality quizzes as well."

@Personalities

"My Dad introduced it to me and I got really into it! It was a fun, engaging way to make games, friends and help out the community!"

@frenchornboy

"I joined Scratch because I saw it a while back and thought of it as a bad website, then I messed around with it and stuff, and it was fun, so I joined Scratch."

@djherm2

"I joined scratch because my brother just learned about it and my mom heard about it too."

@-TechCode-

"A long time ago, my brother had to use Scratch for his schoolwork, and so I saw him using it one day, and I've always been interested in how games worked, and I really wanted to make one. So I made an account, tried it out, and I loved it."

@Cypher56

"Sure, hmm I joined scratch, because I had this class called D&T and we were learning to make a Scratch project. It was fun and really like it, so I joined."

@TheKingaroo

"I was searching for Warrior cat games online when Scratch came up, so I clicked on it. I viewed a lot of AWESOME games, and I saw that if you were a member, you could make your own. That's when I decided to join, because I LOVE being creative."

@FirestarisTHEBEST

"My dad taught me it when I was 10, and I had always loved the idea of programming and making games. So I joined under @Tannerox777 a few years later. I moved to this account six months ago."

@Red-Cloud

"I joined scratch because I went to a summer camp where they introduced coding to me and I fell in love with it and made an account. Also, Scratch really has given me a place to express myself through art and games."

@robo9

"I joined Scratch because I heard about it in computer class and had wanted to give it a try. One day, I started making a game (called JumpShip... it was never shared) and had to make an account to save my progress. I threw in the username @KryptykProductions (inspired by my teacher's cat's name, Cryptic) and went with it."

@KryptykProductions

"I chose the name @TylerHosman because it's my real name. well my first and last name. I joined scratch because i was into programming but couldn't java script so I was recommended scratch from a friend. And now I'm addicted to it and program so much that my brain hurts."

@TylerHosman

"My mom found a book at the library called 'teaching your kids to code', or something like that, and she thought I might like it. She's not at all interested in computer stuff, so I just taught myself with it. It had a section about Scratch, so I tried it out and loved it instantly."

@Celestialstar

"I joined Scratch because we have a coding club at school. A couple years ago my classmates were playing Paper Minecraft ( @griffpatch's project), and before that I didn't know what Scratch was. Now I've been on scratch for almost a year, and I use scratch every time we have coding club."

@Turtle_Fanatic

"I joined Scratch thanks to @MistiqueLuna16 and @Eloquencee (who was on the account @sralewis at the time). They showed me the website in class. Also, our school's computer guy came in to the class one day to show us Scratch, and I was immediately interested."

@waffles66

"I joined Scratch because my math teacher assigned us a project where we had to make a math game. In the rubric, he listed Scratch as a site where we could do the project. I tried it, and got hooked, it was so fun making the game and playing other people's games."

@MLG_David

"I joined because I thought it was cool when coding was introduced in my school. I took it to a whole new level here."

@SpikePie

"I joined scratch because I wanted to make games to entertain people and have bragging rights that I knew how to 'code'."

@Smosher200

"I joined scratch because I wanted to learn to program and make cool stuff. I actually messed around with the offline editor for a long time before I actually made an account and started to share. It's been two years since then, and scratch has really helped me to think like a programmer."

@-TotallyEpic-

"I joined Scratch after the hour of code for school. I really wanted to learn how to program, and I thought Scratch was a great start."

@RoastedSquirrel64

"I first joined scratch on my first account 2 years ago for my new school'd curriculum. I never coded before, so Scratch was AWESOME! I loved it! I would spend my freetime on it, and I made a few accounts afterwards to make my own, no instructions, games."

@-Royale-

"I joined scratch because of my sister. She joined scratch because she was bored one day and she came across this wonderful website!"

@Altion

"My friend got me interested in computers in May of 2015. And when summer started, I had a lot of free time on my hands, so my mom signed me up for a free Scratch class at our local library. The rest is history."

@Mibli

"I joined scratch because I wanted to try something new. I thought it could really help me learn for the future and i wanted others to see that even if your young you can achieve great things. Also, I joined scratch because i love to work hard and i see my brother @Username132 work amazingly every day to pursue his dreams of a computer programmer and game designer. I wanted to do something special like my brother!"

@Yayme123552

"I joined Scratch because I'd seen my friends playing around with it a couple years before I joined. I'd had scratch 1.4 before that, but I just messed around with it and didn't really code anything. So one day I thought "Oh, I'm bored so I'll make a Scratch account!" It was really interesting after I learned how to code, and I've gotten much better at coding since I created my first account on Scratch."

@Influenzi

Thank you everyone who participated!
Want to be featured in the next interview? Answer this:

What is your biggest goal in Scratch or programming? (For example, making an app, working at Apple, getting featured and so on.)

Thanks for reading! Check out the Series page for more from the Mass Interview series. Click here to read the first one. If you don't want to comment your answer here, you can comment on the discussion page or my New Blog project. Scratch on!

~ScratchStang

How to Make an "OS"

What is an OS and how do you make one? Here are all the basics for mimicking an OS.

Author's Note: This blog post will not teach you how to make a real Operating System! It will only teach you how to make a program that looks like and has the format of one. This blog post is outdated and was created during the OS-craze on a beginner's programming website called Scratch. 

An OS is an operating system that manages a computer. It lets you log in, organize programs and a lot of cool, useful things. Common operating systems include Windows and Mac.

A lot of people on Scratch like to make an OS because it is a great way to showcase design.
For example, here is Fiber OS 5.1 by N25Games.



For an example of a very basic OS, check out my project Orange OS.

A high-quality OS is:

1. Easy to use and navigate
2. Simplistic and clean graphics that contribute to the UI and UX
3. Very useful and has multiple apps/programs (common programs include games, drawing, messaging, reading, searching, and music)
4. Full of smooth transitions

The main features are the logo, loading screen, lock-screen and/or log in page and apps.


You can draw inspiration from any computer. Most will have decent design and transitions you can base yours off of.

Tips: Using real images (preferably blurred) as backgrounds make your OS look professional.

Here is a compilation of multiple great user interface examples. Notice how each section is clear and easy to use. Common symbols convey meaning without making the user read too much.



Basic apps commonly already downloaded on an operating system include Notes, Internet, Photos, Videos, Settings, Calculator, Time, and Calendar. Be creative and add your own apps as well, such as music or a game.

—Stang

How to: Location Not Given

Thanks for reading! Check out the tutorials page for more tutorials. Share to support and scratch on, bye!

~ScratchStang

Being Interviewed by the Scratch Team

Recently I got interviewed by the Scratch Team.

One day, I got an alert on my profile. I've never gotten one prior to this so I didn't even know what alerts looked like, so if you don't know either, this is what it looks like:


I was chosen because I am very active in the Scratch community.

Anyway I followed the instructions and set up an interview. Instead of choosing to call or Skype them, I emailed a Scratch Team member my answers.

The questions included very personal things, such as who I am and how my school, friends and family views Scratch. It also dealt with what I do in the Scratch community, things I like or dislike, social interactions, how I discovered Scratch, learning processes, and general tech questions.

All of the interviewees' answers are anonymous and help the Scratch Team and people at MIT improve Scratch.

Thanks for reading! Share this post to support my blog and feel free to comment. Scratch on!

~ScratchStang

How to Get Curated

Ever wondered how projects got curated on the front page and how to get yours up there? This post holds the answers to all of your questions!

First, someone applies to become a curator in the Front Page Curator studio by making a project showing why they want to become a curator and their project requirements.


In addition, they will create a studio showing what types of projects they will curate. Above is an example of a studio.

Once someone has been accepted by the Scratch Team to become a curator, you can ask them to consider curating your project. But first, you must check that your project and you meets all of the requirements; you can not have too many loves, favorites and followers.

To find out who the upcoming curators are, read the "About Me" section of @TheNextCurator.

Thanks for reading! Scratch on!

~ScratchStang

Welcome

Hey there! I'm Stang, a teen programmer most well-known on Scratch as ScratchStang. I enjoy posting coding tutorials, updates on my games and various interesting topics.


My blog will reflect my interests, which are mainly programming, games, programming games, technology, design, art and some random fun stuff, like dogs with hats.

I hope you enjoy this blog! Feel free to leave a comment anytime; all feedback is appreciated.

 —Stang