How Do I...?

[Steve Holden, Chairman, PSF]

Victor Subervi wrote:
> On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 10:22 AM, Tim Chase
> <python.list at tim.thechases.com <mailto:python.list at tim.thechases.com>>
> wrote:
> 
>     Victor Subervi wrote:
> 
>         On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 3:03 PM, Tim Chase
>         <python.list at tim.thechases.com
>         <mailto:python.list at tim.thechases.com>>wrote:
> 
>             Well, you start by reading a book on how to program.  You
>             would then learn
>             that what you want (in all likelihood) is a dictionary/map
>             structure for
>             dynamically created key/value pairs. Once you have
>             progressed from your
>             current apprenticeship and achieved the rank of third-degree
>             journeyman
>             programmer, the ways of dynamic variable creation will avail
>             themselves.
> 
> 
>         Why the arrogance? Why talk down to me?
> 
> 
>     The aim was not arrogance, but expression of exasperation 
> 
> 
> Exasperation is what triggers your arrogance. Learn to control it. "Walk
> a mile in my mocassins." You can't do it. I'm an artist. I think out of
> my right hemisphere, not my left like you. You couldn't possibly
> understand. Yes, sometimes I chide myself for the questions I ask when I
> see the answers come back. The problem is that I quite literally can't
> think like you. I have to force myself to do it every time. To you it's
> as natural as breathing, which is why you can't relate.
> 
It's perhaps not the most helpful approach to characterize as arrogance
what is the actually the result of ignorance that only you could cure
(since it requires some knowledge of your personal circumstances). It's
not unusual to assume that everyone on this list has programming as a
strong component of their skill set.

I haven't been around the list much lately, so I don't know if your
earlier posts were ever preceded by "please help a struggling
right-brain artist", but on this group it certainly wouldn't have hurt.

> Thank you for your help anyway. Thank you for your patience. Please try
> to understand. It starts by understanding you can't understand. You have
> my continued promise that I will do all I can to edit my questions as
> intelligently as you would before I post them. Trust me, I don't like
> looking foolish, and I know I do. You should recognize that that alone
> is chiding enough. It doesn't stop me, however, for continuing to
> program. The whole universe is a program. I program to understand it in
> a way you couldn't even begin to grasp.
> 
Well, if we were looking for arrogance we could easily interpret that
last statement as such. Please remember that although we are mainly
left-brain types on this list some of us do have artistic and musical
skills. Some people will therefore probably be closer to your conception
than you anticipate (though I confess I am unlikely to be one of them).

> BTW, although I know full well about dictionaries, I didn't know one
> could use them like you indicated, nor would I have known how to google
> it. I did try googling, FYI.
> V
> 
The PSF has recently started to take diversity more seriously, and this
should ideally include cultural diversity in all sorts of dimensions, so
I hope you will stick around long enough to inject the artistic approach
from time to time. Python has a *very* diverse user list, but not all
are equally represented in the on-line communities.

Tim is correct, the Python list is a pretty friendly place as far as
netiquette standards go, and I am happy this thread didn't just turn
into ugly name calling (which it could have with a less adult approach
by the participants).

regards
 Steve
-- 
Steve Holden        Chairman, Python Software Foundation
The Python Community Conference   http://python.org/psf/
PyCon 2010 Atlanta Feb 19-21        http://us.pycon.org/
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