[Edu-sig] re: More spillover re the division PEP

[Arthur_Siegel@rsmi.com]

Kirby writes - 

>I agree with Art that this really shouldn't have much to
>do with "newbies" (how to define? -- new to Python in
>particular, or to programming in general; I suppose the
>latter).

But there is another category.  Take my PyGeo, for example.

At the top level, there is a very limited API exposed to Python 
scripting.

The point is to study geometry, using that API, via Python.

In the context of a geometry class, no transfer of programming
knowledge intended. Write this, expect that to appear. It is my
job as the application writer to aniticipate my users ability to 
work within the API I define.

Python is great, but not ideal, in that role. But I think it would
be nuts for anything of substance to be sacrificed to make
it more perfect in that limited role.  My application. My problem. 

Obviously since I have written (in part) to it, I consider the API  
scripter to be a legitimate constituency for Python and 
for Python in education.

But it is outside the realm of the P in CP4E  - by my definition.

Not a novice, not a newbie - I propose a new category for 
another legitimate constituency - the "scripter". 

Tremendous confusion has been caused, in my opinion, by not
being explicit about defining constituencies.

ART