[Edu-sig] interactive vs compiled from file

[Andre Roberge]

On 8/3/07, Michael Tobis <mtobis at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> One problem I have consistently had with beginners is in explaining
> the difference between how the interpreter produces output without an
> explicit 'print' statement (producing the str() of the last evaluated
> expression) and how python run from a file does not.
>
> This is perfectly natural and useful for an experienced user, but it
> is awkward and confusing for the beginner, who has enough of a
> cognitive load just trying to track all the pieces.
>
> This leads to two (well, four) questions:
>
> 1) How have you folks addressed this problem in your beginning
> classes? Do you find it causes difficulties?
>
> 2) Would it be difficult to provide an alternative interpreter that
> produced nothing unless you asked it to print? Would this be a good
> idea?



I'll reserve judgement as to whether or not this is a good idea, but it's
possible to do - at least, according to a quick implementation I tried with
Crunchy.

*If* this is a desirable feature, and assuming my quick test is correct, I
could include it as yet another type of interpreter available within
Crunchy.  :-)

André

P.S. it would need a name to distinguish it from the normal interpreter.
(un-parrot?)


thanks
> mt
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