Foldit is not here to "learn why" because it is not a pegagogic game to learn biology.
Many Foldit players dont want to have the scientific knowledge behind thr folding of proteins.
They want to play for fun but with hope to add a little stone to the scientific knowledge.
Some players along the long road to find their own strategy, read some documents on protein folding, but others prefer to write recipes or any other mean to become a good folder.
My opinion is that our activity is not scientific but defined a new form of collaboration between scientists and amateurs. This opinion is not share by all.
Ahh Marie.
I do understand the nature of Foldit, and I also understand how people learn, and the nature of group play and of scientific endeavor.
And by the why, I meant lipophobic but typed liopotrophic, so I confess to a degree of sloppiness.
The question is not whether I understand Foldit or whether Foldit is "here" to learn why, or whether Foldit is a pedagogic game. The question is whether the current "help" is a sufficiently supportive environment to enable a beginner (mwtalbert) to both complete the puzzles and join the games.
We start with mwtalbert, unsure as to how to complete a puzzle. One reply suggests that mwtalbert has come across a puzzle which many have found difficult. Another that mwtalbert ought to watch a video which shows the correct solution, and so forth. If one follows all of these suggestions, one will likely (eventually) discover what ought to be done for this puzzle. It is also possible that mwtalbert will simply give up, and that Foldit will lose a potential player.
I'm simply suggesting that we step back and make a few changes that will improve the "Welcome to Foldit" process, so that mwtalbert and others will not be turned off and will add to the wonderful Foldit community, where they can, if they wish, find their own strategy, write recipes, solve complex protein foldings and live happily ever after.
