[Python-Dev] Language Summit Follow-Up

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Chris Barker writes:

 > that way. Saying that their very first easy program is:
 > 
 > print("hello world")
 > 
 > is fine

I have had similar experience on a small scale.

Also I've been teaching R recently.  The students who know Python
(Python 3, we don't have backward compatibility issues in our work)
got the concept that all "real work" in R is done by functions,
immediately.  Those who don't, have trouble with the concept that
"help" and "q" (for "quit") need parentheses to get them to work.

Unfortunately R doesn't have Python's Easter Eggs, so they get a code
dump rather than help when they type the bare names.