[Edu-sig] More on the 'tourist' metaphor (vs. 'beginner')

[kirby urner]

"""
I use the word "tourist" a lot, and I think computer world is so huge
that we're all tourists in big parts of it, when we wander far afield
(to be encouraged -- changes are we bring back new insights, or
maybe even move the home office).

A tourist in Python Nation might be a high mucky muck in the
Republic of Perl (they actually have their own names for these
things).

...

And when you're not a tourist anymore, what are you?  Maybe
a neighbor, a local, or "on staff" in some way -- different terms
apply, depending on the namespace.  I've you're a master of
Python, you might be a snake charmer in my book.
"""

url1 = "http://mail.python.org/pipermail/advocacy/2007-May/000243.html"

"""
I had opportunity to use the above "tourism" meme in my blog
the other day, with reference to Pioneer Century, an organized
cycling event.  In this event, I was ostensibly one of the tourists,
although like most the folks in this picture, I'm also an Oregonian
who motored to the event parking lot.

What I wrote in my blog:

Only a few cyclists marred the event by disrespecting signage and
taking to the middle of a busy highway. Local motorists, always
courteous, put a bright face on these antics, accepting that some
tourists may be prone to goofy behavior.
"""

url2 = "http://mail.python.org/pipermail/advocacy/2007-May/000243.html"

"""
Tinkering:
"""


>>> class Weird(str):
	def __new__(cls, arg):
		return str.__new__(cls, arg)
	def __mul__(self, arg):
		return self[arg]

	
>>> somestring = Weird("this is a string")
>>> somestring*10
's'
>>> somestring*4:6
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> somestring*(4:6)
SyntaxError: invalid syntax
>>> slice
<type 'slice'>
>>> someslice = slice(5,7)
>>> somestring*someslice
'is'
>>>

"""
Kirby
"""