[Edu-sig] re: promoting computer literacy through programming python

[Kirby Urner]

> Help.  If anything the opposite. That the difficulties are inherent in
> attempting to open up such communications. And should be accepted. And
> discussion of going this way, or that way, on an issue like list indexes
> is simply irrelevant to the heart of matters.  And is not a "Disadvantage
> of Python", worthy of mention.  Despite that it might not be the first
> instinct of how things should be to someone entering the arena.
> 

OK, thanks, clearer now.

It's the word "disadvantage" that somewhat rankles.  "This is just how it 
is, get over it" is more what you're saying.  Students should be
broad-minded enough to realize that a cultural convention is just a cultural
convention.  If they can't even accommodate 0-based indexing in their lives,
how narrow their little lives will be.

I note that in some mathematics texts, A-sub-zero is the first term in a
sequence, i.e. 0-based indexing is not unknown to math-based text book
writers.  In MathCad, there's a global setting you can flip and go either
way.

My preference would be to have students become aware of these two
widely-used options.

> 
> I happen to be a 'with cream sauce' kind of guy.
> 
> Art

I like 'em both.

Kirby