New Python implementation

[boB Stepp]

On 21/02/16 11:03AM, Alan Gauld wrote:

>Python v1 was a good teaching language. v2 complicated it a bit
>but it was still usable. v3 is no longer a good teaching language
>(unless maybe you are teaching CompSci at university.)

[...]

>And that's just one example, the language is now full of meta goodness
>that makes it incomprehensible to beginners. In a teaching environment,
>with a teacher present to answer questions, it's probably usable,
>but for a self guided course it's increasingly inscrutable.

Hmm.  I'm not sure I can agree, Alan.  My son took to Python 3 like a duck to
water.  Occasionally he has had questions for me, but, for the most part, he
has been entirely on his own with no issues.  He now has several projects that
others are using, including a significant update to someone else's project he
was interested online to both update the Python and Qt.

Yes, there is a ton of meta-goodness in Python, but most of it can be ignored
to be able to *just use it*.  My wife is using Python 3 in a robotics class
she teaches and her high school students find it accessible.  AP computer
science second semester uses Python.  I really don't think it is much of a
problem for most people.  Of course on the Tutor list there often seems to be
some greatly puzzled people, but I think their issues stem from *never* having
tried to do anything even remotely technical other than clicking around in
the GUI programs they have become comfortable with.

-- 
Wishing you only the best,

boB Stepp