The Incredible Growth of Python (stackoverflow.blog)

[Leam Hall]

On 09/12/2017 12:29 AM, Chris Angelico wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 12, 2017 at 1:42 PM, Paul Rubin <no.email at nospam.invalid> wrote:
>> Chris Angelico <rosuav at gmail.com> writes:
>>> students learning Python *today* ... they're learning Python 3.
>>
>> I'm not so sure of that.  I do know a few people currently learning
>> Python, and they're using Python 2.
> 
> Why? Unless they're going to be maintaining a Py2 codebase, why should
> they learn the older version with less features?
> 
> At Thinkful (shameless plug[1]), students learn Python 3 almost
> exclusively (we do have a data science course in which students learn
> either or both, but in the web dev course, it's definitely Py3). I
> haven't had anyone run into difficulties with annotations/type hints
> (we don't teach them, so how would they be bothered?), print being a
> function (everything else is a function so it's no surprise that print
> is too), etc, and even the text/bytes split is only a problem when
> students are working with non-ASCII data files provided by third
> parties, at which point they have to learn about encoding="...". Now,
> I just need to convince people to stop putting "first name" and
> "surname" fields on their web forms [2], and things will be about
> perfect...
> 
> ChrisA
> 
> [1] I teach via www.thinkful.com. My views are my own, not that of my employer.
> [2] http://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/06/17/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-names/
> 

Hey Chris,

This is an area the Python community can improve on. Even I would 
encourage someone new to Python and wanting to do webdev to use Python 3.

But if someone comes onto the list, or IRC, and says they need to stay 
on Python 2 then please drop the dozens of e-mails and comments about 
upgrading. Help the person learn; that makes them happier with Python 
and when the time comes to switch to Python 3 they probably will.

My recent experience with some people's inability to take "Sorry, I 
can't" for an answer has been a real turn-off. I have requirements that 
dictate Python. If this was a personal venture I'd already be elsewhere 
purely because the Python community on the list and IRC is so unwelcoming.

I encourage those of you who are Python experts, trainers, or authors: 
lead by example. Help people learn Python. Grow the community. Just 
because TIOBE and IEEE say Python is top dog today doesn't mean those 
stats can't change. The community will drive the success of Python, not 
the technical features.

Leam