Art, At first glance LiveCD is an interesting solution. But the problem with it is that I want to be teaching (and learning) Python, not Linux. I don't think it will work to take a student whose background is in Windows, throw him/her on a Linux box and say, "Let's write some Python!" I think building a standalone Python CD that will run on Windows is more likely to work for me. Then at least I can tell the sysadmin that I'm not going to install anything on the PC. Kent At 9:35 AM -0500 3/20/04, Arthur wrote:
BJ writes -
WHEW. Finally head from my school district's IT dept. regarding the possibility of installing Python for kids to learn programming on. They are VERY resistant to this. I am amazed.
The LiveCD route might provide at least a partial solution. It is plausible to me that a smart kid could do more network damage from a booted Linux LiveCD than from a hard drive install. But I suspect the perception is different, and as a practical matter, one might meet with far less resistance.
http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php?showonly=&sort=Purpose
lists over 10 available LiveCD distros whose main purpose is educational.
I suspect most, if not all, include a Python distribution. But I doubt if any are ideally configured for what one might want to use as a basis for teaching Python - IDLE, pygame, whatever else, etc.
There is, for example, a Lisp resource kit in the educational category:
http://www.common-lisp.net/project/lisp-res-kit/
I am surprised that nothing of the sort has emerged from the Python community. My own efforts to spark interest in such a project have met with luke warm response. But I might not be the right guy to be trying to organize a community effort.
Art
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