[Tutor] creating variables at runtime

[Erik Price]

> Kirby Urner wrote:
>
>> People who come to Python from VB or C++ are more likely
>> to think in terms of self-contained programs that either
>> take arguments at the top, or prompt for a few inputs,
>> then go.  But I come from a Visual FoxPro background which
>> boots to a command window.  Half the time I'm just sitting
>> at the command line, opening data tables, sorting, listing.
>> Modifying structure.  If I need a utility, I write it
>> quickly, then run it.  No need to exit the shell.  I bring
>> this same psychology to Python.
>> I go into all this because I think newcomers especially
>> should appreciate the two modes.  I think sometimes people
>> who program professionally get so used to whatever mode
>> they use that they forget...
>


I'm very confused about this intriguing description, Kirby.  Do you mean 
that you use the Python interactive mode as your interpretive shell for 
doing work on your system?  And that when you need some sort of tool or 
functionality, you just whip it up on the spot?  If that's what you're 
saying, I'm pretty awed.  I know that theoretically, there's not much 
difference between, for instance, doing that and doing the same thing in 
the bash shell (I use bash on Darwin or Linux).  But there are so many 
pre-built tools for bash ... wasn't POSIX developed so that we wouldn't 
have to write all of our own programs all the time?

To be able to work at this level, if that's what you're saying, is mind 
boggling.


Erik