The language vs. the environment

[Michael Hudson]

paul at boddie.net (Paul Boddie) writes:

> Skip Montanaro <skip at pobox.com> wrote in message news:<mailman.1015449438.31833.python-list at python.org>...

> >     * find a Python bug without a proposed fix and write one (there are
> >       currently between 250 and 300 open bug reports):
> >           http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=5470&atid=105470
> 
> Although one might think that this requires a "Python internals skill
> level" of at least 7 out of 10,

This isn't true.  You need to know how to use "cvs" and "diff", and
*some* bugs require a "Python internals skill level" of at least 11
out of 10, but most don't and many probably don't require more that 3
or 4 out of ten.  Besides, what better way of acquiring the skill to
fix deep bugs than to practice fixing shallow ones?

CHeers,
M.

-- 
  There are two ways of constructing a software design: one way is to
  make it so simple that there  are obviously no deficiencies and the
  other way  is to make it so complicated  that there are  no obvious
  deficiencies.                                      -- C. A. R. Hoare