[Edu-sig] re: PythonScript

[Arthur Siegel]

>On the other hand, we wouldn't want to turn of case-
>sensitivity if the goal were to train future Python
>programmers I don't think.  That'd just set them up to
>have to unlearn a lot of reflexes -- same with numerics
>it seems to me.  But then, maybe you're not proposing
>this environment for would-be Pythonistas.

No indeed I'm not.

But I am trying to recognize the existence of the other 
constituency relevant to Edu-Sig - e.g., the physics class 
scripter of VPython or the geometry class scripter of
PyGeo. 

And am arguing, I guess, that to the extent it is determined 
that this constituency may have unique requirements, 
that efforts to accommodate them be set aside as a 
special project, not an issue of central concern to the 
mainstream development of Python.

I, BTW, do not necessarily agree that those needs are
unique. VPython is not only visual Python, it is visual
Numeric - which relies on typing of arrays, with all
kinds of traps for the uninitiated, unaware, or the 
uncareful. 

Typical was the Zero Division "bug report" on the
main list. 

Some variant of:
   a=array([1,2,3])

snip,snip,snip

   a[0]=.4
   1/a[0] = BOOM/CRASH
   
But I just set a[0] explicitly to .4 and Python is
treating it as zero, therefore bug report.

The VPython class members who *only* got
trapped by 3/4 were probably not doing their
homework.

ART