[Baypiggies] Alex Martelli - Python for Programmers, 4/10/07

[Anna Ravenscroft]

On 4/20/07, Shannon -jj Behrens <jjinux at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 4/20/07, Alex Martelli <aleax at google.com> wrote:
> > On 4/20/07, jim stockford <jim at well.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Tony suggested that Alex's outline might be
> > > a good basis for Newbies Night. I can't help
> > > thinking that asking Alex to re-present his
> > > talk would solve the problem.
> > >
> > > Your thoughts?
> >
> > NP from my POV, I'm always glad to present, but -- my talk's about 90-100
> > minutes' worth and is aimed pretty high -- to people who are already
> > experienced programmers in (say) C++ or Java, not to newbies per se.  If we
> > want to address "real newbies", and with a shorter talk, the whole thing
> > might need major restructuring ( e.g. early focus on powerful library
> > features, while the current talk focuses mostly on the language per se and
> > only towards the end starts touching on the library, and somewhat cursorily
> > at that).
> >
> > So, what's the intended audience for "newbie night" -- programmers
> > experienced in other languages, or "real newbies", essentially new to
> > programming?
>
> It seems to me nearly impossible to introduce a total newbie to
> programming in Python in an hour.  Doing turtle graphics might be more
> appropriate for that.
>
> My $0.02,
> -jj
>

But we should be prepared to let the real newbies know where/how to
proceed. and reassure them that it's a language that even real newbies
can learn.

Then we can go on to Alex's talk.

Perhaps someone like me or Aahz or Wesley could talk first, briefly,
about Python for programming newbies, and the we could go to the talk
for the experienced programmers?

-- 
cordially,
Anna
--
It is fate, but call it Italy if it pleases you, Vicar!