[PyAR2] 2.x or 3.x?

[paul.hermeneutic at gmail.com]

If this is a introductory class, then we should not cover the details
of differences between Python 2.x and 3.x other than a cursory
overview.

These details are needed by developers of 2to3 and other refactoring
tools, not the introductory level developer.  They might also be of
interest to someone making a decision to start a project using Python
2.x, 3.x, Lua, Perl, Ruby, etc.   That person should likewise probably
not be an introductory level developer

Our goal should be to get the participant to a point where they can
express their application intent.  We need more working applications,
not more bit twiddlers.  Which result should be sought?

    10 developers who know that you have to use "()" on the print statement

or

    10 working applications written in Python?

        transportation tracking with GIS systems
        membership registration and billing system
        system utilization monitoring
        recipe and shopping database
        ...

If I thought that working in 2.5 limited application expression, I
would be all for starting with 3.x.  However, the sense I have is that
3.x, while providing some improvements, would limit the developer more
than 2.x given the number of packages that now support 3.x with full
confidence.

Are there 3.x capabilities that are an order of magnitued better than
in 2.x?  Please tell me.

My 2 cents.  (I am still on the gold standard, so we do not have
inflation caused by the printing of more green pieces of paper.  :-)
Inflation is not higher prices.  Inflation is the situation caused by
printing more pieces of paper than there exists real value.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/inflation)

Kindest regards,


Paul Watson