[Tutor] Why I'm learning Python (OT and long)

[Danny Yoo]

On Fri, 31 Aug 2001, dman wrote:

> On Thu, Aug 30, 2001 at 10:27:42AM -0400, Bill Tolbert wrote:
> | I spent some time reading Useless Python last night and went to bed
> | totally depressed. I feel that even Useless is above my skill level. So,
> | what follows is the story of why I'm trying to learn Python. Perhaps some
> | will understand; some may be in a similar situation; some may want to send
> | me money. Maybe it can become an installment for the soapbox on Useless.
> [...]
> 
> As Javier said, you learn it little by little.  You read docs, you
> experiement, and practice and you end up knowing the stuff that is
> interesting to you.  None of us know everything.  In fact, computers
> and software are so complex nowadays that nobody can ever know
> everything about any given system, and certainly not everything about
> all (or even several) systems.


Also, source code can be somewhat deceptive: it's like a distillation of
hours of research, hapless experimentation, wrong turns, and uninformed
misdirection, all into a dense, syrupy concoction.  What we end up is
something short and sweet, but it can mask the roundabout way we cooked
it.  And if swallowed too quickly, we can gag!

This same sort of dilation happens with math proofs, books, emails, or
anything else written down.  I guess I'm trying to say: don't worry if you
read something that doesn't make sense initially: take it slow, one sip at
a time.  It takes some time to sample new things.


Now if only I could properly use a Bodum plunger coffee machine, I'll be
very happy.  *grin*