[Idle-dev] An IDLE extension for Google Summer of Code

[Chas Leichner]

Tal,

Although I think that Sikuli is an interesting project, it is still a
research prototype rather than a well developed project, like IDLE.
Programming with screenshots is a novel approach, but using a metafile would
allow a teacher easily and directly convert existing code to a tutorial or
lesson just by adding the appropriate tags. Using a commands to drive the
IDE would also allow the teacher to precisely dictate actions and tweak them
easily instead of having to re-record screenshots, like in Sikuli.

In addition, adding an extension to IDLE would make it accessible to anyone
with a basic Python install, because there is a version of IDLE easily
available on all platforms that Python is.

~Chas

On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 2:57 AM, Tal Einat <taleinat at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 12:18 PM, Chas Leichner <chaoslichen at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > IDLE developers,
> >
> > I have been in contact with Greg Wilson of Software Carpentry, discussing
> > possible projects for the Google Summer of Code. He brought up adding a
> > record and playback function as an addition to IDLE so that students
> could
> > work through writing code dynamically, in the same manner they would with
> a
> > TA or mentor. To facilitate this, I would like to add an extension
> module,
> > changes to the core code, or an alternate education version of IDLE that
> > would read from a metafile with instructions to drive the IDE for them,
> > writing code, stopping to explain or ask questions and wait for answers,
> and
> > highlight sections of the code. As per the advice on the Python GSOC
> page, I
> > wanted to contact this list, to keep you updated and for your feedback,
> > before I got too far into writing my proposal.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Chas Leichner
>
> Hi Chas,
>
> This sounds like a great project! I really hope this goes well, and
> would love to receive updates on it, e.g. if you start a mailing list
> or blog about it.
>
> May I ask, why not develop something more generic, which allows
> various types of guided interactive learning, not just via IDLE? On
> first reading it seems that what you suggest could be achieved with
> something like Sikuli, without requiring any changes to IDLE.
>
> - Tal
>
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