[Edu-sig] Re: easy for beginners, even children

[Lee Harr]

>> >In Python:
>> >
>> >>>>2 = 3
>> >SyntaxError: can't assign to literal
>>
>>I would say ...
>>set 2 equal to 3.
>>
>>Doesn't make much sense, so that's an error.
>
>It makes sense if the student wanted the computer
>to answer if 2 is equal to 3.
>


But why would they say "set 2 equal to 3" if they want to
know "is 2 equal to 3"?

It is sort of like musical notation.

These strange marks in the margin mean something specific,
and it is pronounced "key of G flat". (maybe... my music is really
rusty). Eventually a musician may stop "saying" that and just
have a feeling for what it means, and the same with this
programming notation.

With beginners, I usually just tell them what it "says" and have
them read it out loud. It makes much more sense that way.

Or are you saying that the error message is too much jargon?

It is pretty terse, so I can see that it is not very beginner friendly,
but it is also very precise. That helps. Once you know what those
words mean, of course.

I don't know if it is "easy". Maybe for some people who have minds
that work in this particular way.

_________________________________________________________________
Free up your inbox with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! Multiple plans available. 
http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=hotmail/es2&ST=1/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/