[Edu-sig] re: Network-safe Python Install for school use?

[Arthur]

BJ writes - 

>WHEW. Finally head from my school district's IT dept. regarding the
>possibility of installing Python for kids to learn programming on. They are
>VERY resistant to this. I am amazed.

The LiveCD route might provide at least a partial solution.  It is plausible
to me that a smart kid could do more network damage from a booted Linux
LiveCD than from a hard drive install.  But I suspect the perception is
different, and as a practical matter, one might meet with far less
resistance. 

http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php?showonly=&sort=Purpose 

lists over 10 available LiveCD distros whose main purpose is educational.

I suspect most, if not all, include a Python distribution. But I doubt if
any are ideally configured for what one might want to use as a basis for
teaching Python - IDLE, pygame, whatever else, etc.

There is, for example, a Lisp resource kit in the educational category:

http://www.common-lisp.net/project/lisp-res-kit/

I am surprised that nothing of the sort has emerged from the Python
community.  My own efforts to spark interest in such a project have met with
luke warm response.  But I might not be the right guy to be trying to
organize a community effort.


Art