Is learning Python "extraordinary"?

[phil hunt]

On Sun, 30 Dec 2001 02:27:04 GMT, Courageous <jkraska at san.rr.com> wrote:
>
>>I think that you're answering with the wrong comparison group as your
>>background sample. Certainly I'd expect any professional developer to be
>>able to pick up Python in a week. But, among the set of all students
>>applying for university admission, how many of them have taught themselves
>>Python? I think this is an important distinction.
>
>When I was in highschool, those individuals who self-taught themselves
>computer programming languages

I taught myself programming. (From the book "Illustrating BASIC")...

> were of the rare breed who were destined
>to later be technical wizards in their field. 

...hmmm. 

>Passionately caring about
>something above and beyond what you're made to do and having the
>initiative to carry it out is a remarkable thing at any age; in a
>young mind, it is spectacular.

It shows initiative, and is to be applauded, but I wouldn't say 
spectacular.

>Usenet urban legendry would have it that those who hang out in
>computer programming language groups are generally taken from the
>top 1% of their peers.

This is true of comp.lang.python, at least :-)


-- 
*** Philip Hunt *** philh at comuno.freeserve.co.uk ***