[Edu-sig] Fw: Python sequences by reference - how to make

[Jason Cunliffe]

What I'd like help with is understanding the implications of loading libraries
vs. built_ins vs. smarter IDLE prompts.

For developers and students worknig at the Python shell, it is tedious and often
often frustrating to have to load functionality repeatedly from libraries, ones
which we feel should already be available.

>From a script pov perspective, the assumption is rely 'assume nothing' so
scripts should all start with a healthy block of import statements. Python does
this well. 'Import' behaves transparently when a module is already loaded. Nice
feature and thank you Python!

But also introduces a little Novice gotcha we ALL learn on Day One Lesson#1:

reload()

I assume reload() is used 99% of the time at the shell and not in scripts.[?]
If so, then that confirms slightly my point there are two use contexts we need
to be discussing:

A. people working interactively
B. script and system defaults

My recent  Top 5' rants have been trying to focus more on use context A.
[people] and how Python meets Novice users. But we are all novices about
something, with expectations about Python behaves.

So what strategy can be applied when Python boots and in the IDLE shell to
handle these expectation better:
- loading modules
- visible feedback and prompts about them
- ??

hope I am making sense
./Jason