[Tutor] Seattle PyCamp 2011

[Noah Hall]

On Sat, Jun 18, 2011 at 2:15 AM, Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> wrote:
> Noah Hall wrote:
>
>> Just a note, but are these questions jokes?
>>
>>> Know how to use a text editor (not a word processor, but a text editor)?
>>> Know how to use a browser to download a file?
>>> Know how to run a program installer?
>>
>> If not, then I'd consider removing them. This isn't 1984.
>
> I think the questions are fine. It indicates the level of technical
> knowledge required -- not much, but more than just the ability to sign in to
> AOL.
>
> In 1984 the newbies didn't know anything about computers *and knew they
> didn't know*, but now you have people who think that because they can write
> a letter in Microsoft Office and save as HTML, they're expert at
> programming.
>
> I wish I were joking but I've had to work for some of them.

That's true, I suppose, but in that case the rest of the questions are
out of place.

I believe that someone who knows what environmental variables are and
how to change them is a huge step up from someone who knows how to
*download things*.