Let's look for a moment at four ball Mills Mess. There is a common mistake made in this pattern. When throwing the underarm throw, the ball should follow the previous throw, arcing up from the side and following more-or-less the same path through the air. However, quite a lot of people throw that underarm throw from a somewhat narrower position, and as a result it appears "inside" the previous ball. As we said above, this is a common mistake, and it's one that the notation as described does not help us with.
Similarly, as mentioned in Lesson 13 with regards the weave, the notation doesn't tell us that the held ball should weave between the others. It could equally well be waved about entirely above the other balls.
For a more complete description of a pattern, one can turn to the extension of SiteSwap used in JuggleKrazy. In this notation the spatial positions of each throw and catch can be specified, as well as any shifts in the timing. Because of this, the notation can easily be used to differentiate between the two versions of 4-ball Mills Mess, or the two versions of the weave described above. For more details on this notation please feel free either to ask us directly, or to download the free, interactive demonstration version of JuggleKrazy, which comes with full on-line help on the notation (and just about everything else!)
Still, the notation we've been working on here, despite its short-comings, is a very powerful tool, both for describing patterns, and for working out new ones.
However, there are are few minor quibbles that some people have, and which are now worth asking you all about.
1. The name
===========
Although originally used to analyse Mills Mess,
there is a feeling that the name shouldn't really
contain the term "Mills Mess". Also, calling it
the State Transition Diagram doesn't really help
its image with the general juggling community.
Suggestions for a new name, anyone?
Suggestions include
MDHMD - Mike Day's Hand Movement Diagram
MDHMN - Mike Day's Hand Movement Notation
for the diagram and the text form respectively.
2. "Inside" and "Outside" exchanges
===================================
A few of you have had trouble with the terms
"Inside" and "Outside". Certainly the terms are
considered obvious by some, while others think
they are completely unnatural. Suggestions are
welcome for alternative names for these. Don't
forget, though, that new suggestions should be
accompanied by corresponding suggestions for the
symbols on the diagram !!
3. Diagram symbols
==================
Even if we _do_ keep the terms "inside" and
"outside", the "+" and "o" used on the diagram
are not universally acclaimed. Suggestions for
alternative symbols are welcome.
Any and all suggestions welcome. Also, if anyone has any
comments on the lessons themselves we'd be very grateful.
Grammar, punctuation, detail, overview, motivation, all
are fit subjects for comment.
Please, feedback requested !!
C.D.Wright
The contents of this document are Copyright (C) Solipsys Ltd, 1996, but you may reproduce and redistribute them freely provided that you make no changes, no charges, and that this copyright notice remains attached.