[Edu-sig] Python as a first language for computer sciencist

[Brad Miller]

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On Oct 18, 2005, at 2:57 PM, Beni Cherniavsky wrote:

> On Mon, 2005-10-17 at 13:00 -0500, Brad Miller wrote:
>
>> [...Luther College using Python for CS1, CS2 and data structures...]
>>
>> Of course we also teach and use Java but we don't introduce our
>> students to Java until the third course in our introductory sequence.
>> The nice thing about holding off on Java until the third course is
>> that the students now know enough computer science that we can  
>> work on
>> bigger and more interesting problems while they are learning  
>> Java.  In
>> addition I can now use Python to compare and contrast as I introduce
>> new language concepts in Java.
>>
>
> Do you tell them about Jython?  Do you have data on how they use  
> Jython?
> I guess that with such prior Python experience, they should be very
> comfortable mixing the languages.
>
>
I have not told them about Jython, mainly because my own impression  
was that Jython was not really going anywhere.  I tried a couple of  
simple graphics programs that didn't work....

After reading your message I went to www.jython.org and I still get  
mixed signals about whats happening.  Apparently there is a new alpha  
release of Jython 2.2, but the Wiki is broken, the developer blog  
comes up blank.  I don't see any plans about making Jython compatible  
with Python 2.4.x....

If it does turn out that Jython becomes a thriving, active version of  
Python then I think it would be very interesting to investigate.   
Have you used Jython?  What has been your experience?  Maybe others  
are more in the know about the future prospects of Jython?

Brad

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