[Edu-sig] re: Python "3" and National Project to establish the Knowledge Sciences as an Academic Discipline

[Arthur]

Kirby -

>Anyway, I'm not speaking for anyone but me right now.

Just to make sure that I stay marginal:

What disturbs me most about this proposal, and even the dissertation, is
that they serve as further evidence, to me, that perception and "marketing"
are outrunning anything grounded in evidence - as to Python's true
accessibility. Certainly as to anything or anyone at the pre-high school
level.  And at the high school level, for anyone other than committed
students (read geeks).

In at least one recent interview I read, Guido mentions that his intended
audience at the initial stages of Python's development was C programmers.
This despite its ABC roots.  Which makes sense to me. 

There is no reason not to make experimental efforts to begin to understand
Python's true accessibility at all levels of age and interest.  I personally
suspect true study would find that both factors are highly relevant. So that
the younger the audience, the greater needs be the internal (over which
there is little control) level of interest and determination.  Which we will
find exists, but only in isolated cases.  Not the basis for a mass movement
Renaissance. And certainly not something that is going to change in any
significant way by a better IDE or a rethinking of semantics or syntax.

All this serving to divert attention from the arena where, it seems to me,
there is considerable evidence that Python is provably useful.  In the
college science curricula, and even there, for those students far enough
along to know that they are moving in the direction of a science related
career, or serious science related study.

In the end, reality wins these kinds of battles.  And I don't know what a
substantially established "product" such as Python gains by betting its
reputation on highly speculative endeavors.

And please don't shoot the messenger.

Art