Python too complex ?!?!?!

[Patrick Mullen]

On Nov 22, 2007 1:04 PM, Brian <not_here at no_where.com> wrote:
> / Chime Mode <ON>
> I have, in fact, sent this thread to my friend.
> His limiting factors are
>
> - money-control people favor MS platforms
> - C# and VS have minimal cost impact for academia
> - sys admins have everything locked down (probably
> essential for high school and community college)
> - both Python 2.4.2, then 2.5.1, on XP and Win2k
> crashed approx 10% of lab cptrs, so lab techs refused
> to allow further install of any 'third-party' s/w.
> (side note - I have installed Python and all the
> supporting stuff for PyVISA on 14 work-site (11 XP, 3
> Debian) cptrs with no problem, so I do not understand).
> - no such thing as TAs in JC or HS.
> - CS instructors, for the effected schools, are not
> allowed to config machines or admin the network.
> - money-control people want students to learn skills
> that are on the IT buzz-word list.
> - my friend is no longer allowed to use me as an
> 'unofficial' assistant in these classes (not considered
> qualified because I only have a B.S. degree), so he
> only uses stuff that existing staff are (supposedly)
> familiar with...
> / Chime Mode <OFF>
>
> I told my friend, the wannabe Python instructor, to
> walk away from any more volunteer work, and stick to
> the paid stuff. American education, what a mess...
>
> luck,
> Brian
>
> --
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
>

Wow...  Sounds like in this instance (and probably most such cases),
none of the problems are really python related.  Just a stupid
institution thing.  Everyone uses MS because it's what they are used
to, and MS pays a lot to keep it this way.  The only somewhat valid
strike against python is the crashing, which is a real WTF.  My guess
is that python was not the cause of the crashes, and the admins
assumed so since they were prejudiced against it.  I had python crash
at school pretty much immediately after installing it, but guess what
- other people in the same lab have their vista computers crash
frequently without installing python.  Uh, maybe microsoft and their
crappy vista OS is to blame...  Oh, and I told the admins about the
crashes and they said they have never seen them crash.   ... Ok.  How
come every time I come into lab and turn the computer on it gives me
the "your computer had a problem, do you want me to send data to
microsoft about it?".  Lol.

I still think that python does inherently have some issues with regard
to teaching it in a classroom setting, but it's mostly minor quibbles.
 Obviously in America, the main problem is we just can't possibly hope
to displace the juggernaut.