Mailman 3 August 2005 - Edu-sig

Writing books/manuals containing code
by Peter Bowyer Sept. 6, 2005

Sept. 6, 2005

Hi, I have just started writing a course manual to introduce students to programming. There are going to be lots of code examples, and I was wondering: is there a way to insert the code into the document from external files, so I can test all the files and make sure the code works, even if I edit it? In Microsoft Word I can embed a file as an object, but the file's contents does not show in the document. My example programs are then broken down and I go through it line-by-line. Again,… [View More]

7 9

Design Patterns
by Arthur Aug. 27, 2005

Aug. 27, 2005

>In my MVC example, the Viewer expected a 'shape' object to support a >specific API: verts and edges needed to be available as attributes. Let me try to practice better what I think I am preaching and follow your lead in making the discussion more concrete and less theoretical. I have a line segment - defined as the segment connecting 2 points. The interface allows the points to be picked and moved. The line segment has a length. I choose line.getLength() as my API which I feel … [View More]

2 3

Re: [Edu-sig] Design Patterns
by Arthur Aug. 27, 2005

Aug. 27, 2005

> -----Original Message----- > From: Kirby Urner [mailto:urnerk@qwest.net] > "Information hiding" means sparing me the details. In an open source > world, > I might be able to see those details if I really cared about them. In the > case of a private bank, fat chance. Yes, we are at the core of some considerable sensitivity in my (other) world. And yes, we are touching upon emotion and politics as well as API design. Pausch advocates exposing folks to a 3d API that … [View More]

1 0

Re: [Edu-sig] Design Patterns
by Arthur Aug. 27, 2005

Aug. 27, 2005

> -----Original Message----- > From: Kirby Urner [mailto:urnerk@qwest.net] > > > Kirby seems comfortable in the Meyerist camp. > > > > I think you might be reading something too sinister into "information > hiding" and are therefore against it. I did put a ;) after my comment on information hiding - taking the opportunity to be a bit glib, and knowing it. But still to me, OOP theory is just that - theory. In certain domains, it may be the best we have - so we … [View More]

2 1

FW: [Visualpython-users] Visualpython 3.2.1 for Mac OSX 10.4 now in Fink
by Arthur Aug. 27, 2005

Aug. 27, 2005

-----Original Message----- From: visualpython-users-admin(a)lists.sourceforge.net [mailto:visualpython-users-admin@lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf Of Martin Costabel Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 9:49 AM To: Visualpython-users Subject: [Visualpython-users] Visualpython 3.2.1 for Mac OSX 10.4 now in Fink There is now a Fink package for vpython version 3.2.1. If you have Fink installed on Mac OSX 10.4 (Tiger) and the unstable tree enabled, you can get it via: fink selfupdate fink … [View More]

1 0

Re: [Edu-sig] Design Patterns
by Laura Creighton Aug. 27, 2005

Aug. 27, 2005

In a message of Fri, 26 Aug 2005 18:24:33 EDT, Arthur writes: >And am hoping he is quite wrong in the assessment that "information hiding" >is a base requirement for information science. ;) He is quite correct, but 'hiddenness' is not an infinite human good, such as health. It is quite possible to hide too much. Whether 'having things work like magic' is a good thing or not is always a tricky judgement call. >Kirby seems comfortable in the Meyerist camp. > >But I feel my … [View More]

2 2

Re: [Edu-sig] Design Patterns
by Arthur Aug. 27, 2005

Aug. 27, 2005

> From: Kirby Urner [mailto:urnerk@qwest.net] > You're welcome to your opinions. Sometimes you whine when it seems your > opinions are taken for what they're worth though, which *sometimes* (not > all > the time) ain't much in my book. We are in agreement. That is precisely when I whine. But there are times, in my view, where a naïve view is quite worthy of expression, provided it is recognized as such. I believe I both recognize when I am presenting a naïve view, and when … [View More]

3 4

Python is not Java
by Arthur Aug. 26, 2005

Aug. 26, 2005

Yeah for naivety! In the pretty widely discussed article: "Python Is Not Java" http://dirtsimple.org/2004/12/python-is-not-java.html """ Getters and setters are evil. Evil, evil, I say! Python objects are not Java beans. Do not write getters and setters. This is what the 'property' built-in is for. And do not take that to mean that you should write getters and setters, and then wrap them in 'property'. That means that until you prove that you need anything more than a simple attribute … [View More]

1 0

"Model syntax changed" (was Design Patterns)
by Arthur Aug. 26, 2005

Aug. 26, 2005

>Suppose you'd already published a Triangle class API and then discovered >you needed more dynamism. The property feature lets you sneak in some >methods without changing the already-published API and breaking client >code. >A lot of these lessons about robust software development come from group or >community efforts. Some aspects of Python maybe don't much excite you >because you're primarily a solo coder (as am I much of the time). Not claiming this is directly … [View More]

1 0

Re: [Edu-sig] Design Patterns
by Arthur Aug. 26, 2005

Aug. 26, 2005

> -----Original Message----- > From: Kirby Urner [mailto:urnerk@qwest.net] > I *enjoy* your exotic other-worldliness. Other than what, I'm wondering ;) Art

1 0