[Tutor] Just beginning

[Tim Johnson]

* Marilyn Davis <marilyn at deliberate.com> [031227 12:25]:
> 
> What about the development environment?  Do you have a recommendation
> there?
> 
> I found idle difficult to install on Linux.  Is it easier on Windows?
 
 Hi Marilyn:

 I've had problems with idle on linux myself. The pythonwin environment
 for windows is very nice, though.

> I like emacs for development, but emacs has a learning curve.
 
  I use vim extensively (on linux) for python. Vim has many plugin
  features available, however, they are of adhoc natures.

  On the other hand Xemacs comes with a python mode already installed.
  It has the additional feature of being able to run the interpreter
  as an inferior process. Python mode for either Lucid emacs or
  GNU emacs is very mature.

  Vim's my preference, but I'm learning xemacs too, for python. (X)emacs
  also has an Object Browser 'plugin' available, but I have not
  experimented with it much.

  I've taken the time to learn emacs because of extendability, which
  I believe that I will eventually find the time worthwhile.

  Caution: vimmers and emacs-heads can have near-religious adherences
  to the respective editors. 
  
> I spent some time trying to use the debugging feature in idle, but
> didn't do very well.  That was a year ago so maybe the new release is
> better?
 
> If you have any hints about these things, I'd be grateful.
 
  <grin>The last time we interviewed for another programmer, the
        candidate talked at length about the debuggers that he
        was familiar with. We didn't hire him. We consider 
        debugger abuse a chronic condition. 
  </grin>

   Seriously, my debugger kit consists of a keystroke macro to
   insert print stubs and a try/except block construct for
   sys.exit()

   I also recommend Alan Gauld's Book.
   Tim
  
> Thank you.
> 
> Marilyn Davis
> 
> > 
> > We'll try to point you toward good resources for exploring Python.  Have
> > you had a chance to see:
> > 
> >     http://python.org/topics/learn/
> > 
> > yet?  It has links to a lot of good Python tutorials, and it should help
> > you find out more about the language.
> > 
> > 
> > As you're learning Python, please feel free to bring up your questions on
> > tutor at python.org --- all of us here will be happy to chat with you about
> > Python.  Don't worry if the questions seem 'silly' --- we're all 'newbies'
> > here, in one form or another.  *grin*
> > 
> > 
> > By the way, as you're posting questions on Python-Tutor, if you are
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> > 
> > Good luck to you!
> > 
> > 
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> 
> 
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-- 
Tim Johnson <tim at johnsons-web.com>
      http://www.alaska-internet-solutions.com