[Chicago] python intro for 13 yo -- suggestions?

[Michael Tobis]

"It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students
that have had a prior exposure to BASIC: as potential programmers they
are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration."
    - Edsger Dijkstra

The design flaws of PHP and Javascript are not as severe as those of
the BASIC circa 1970 to which Dijkstra refers, and they may or may not
outweigh the benefits of instant motivation. Still, I have to
disagree.

Python is intended as a learning language as well as a production
language and we seem to agree it is a paragon of language design.
Having all three in the same place has unique advantages.

Unfortunately, the educational aspects remain somewhat half-baked, but
the right thing to do is to keep baking them, rather than steering
kids to more awkward and shallower tools. There's active work on this,
and there was a conference a few weeks ago that both Alan Kay and BDFL
attended which was aimed at merging Python and Squeak.

Oh, and by the way,  Jason, <cue twinkly magic sounds> your wish is
granted: http://pythoncard.sourceforge.net/

mt