[python-advocacy] [Edu-sig] education as Python killer app

[hwg]

I strongly agree that Education could be Python's killer app. I not a programmer but an EE, and I started using Python in my work a couple years ago.  Loved it so much I started using it to teach my son about programming.  I'm even taking a run at writing a programming book for kids using Python.  (I looked for suitable books for my son and found that there was almost nothing...)

I recently came across some information on proposed changes for Python 3.0 that are somewhat alarming to me.  It seems they are planning to take away input() and raw_input().  

This quote is from a PEP which argues for keeping some form of raw_input():
 
 
The proposed plans for Python 3.0 would require the replacement
of the single statement

speed = raw_input("What is the average airspeed velocity of an unladed
swallow?")

by the more complicated

import sys
print("What is the average airspeed velocity of an unladed swallow?")
speed = sys.stdin.readline()

The removal of raw_input (or equivalent) would not significantly reduce the
built-in namespace while it would steepen significantly the learning
curve for beginners.
 
This is bad.  It starts to make my familiar, clear, simple Python look more like JavaScript or C.  As a teaching tool for beginners, this is taking Python in the wrong direction.

 hwg


       
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