[Edu-sig] The fate of raw_input() in Python 3000

[Arthur]

John Zelle wrote:

>>It is modest.  It is unconnected with Revelation, New Ages, and Second
>>Comings. It brings us to no new dimensions.  It actually brings no new
>>great amount of stature to the geeks of the world, or to the software
>>industry.
>>
>>It must be on the right track.
>>    
>>
>
>And I can't see how any reasonable person could be against that, which I why I 
>thought you were saying something else ;-). By all means, let's agree that 
>teaching some programming as part of math is a sensible enterprise. But 
>that's not happening at the moment, at least not around here.
>

In this incedible din, we can locate something that all reasonable 
people can agree about, and which is not being done - around here either.

Ok.  What's the plan? Who begins to take responsibility?

> I don't see 
>this as a reason to denigrate the computer scientists who are trying to 
>teach "intro to programming" courses as another entry point into this 
>important mathematical domain. 
>
I assure you I was trying to do no such thing..

I in fact am simply listening, and feeling that talents are being 
wasted, that college professors of CS should not be burderened with what 
would be sensibly thought of - in other fields - as remedial work.

>Let me add just one more thought before signing off on this thread 
>permanently. This undercurrent of "introduction to programming" as somehow 
>being a poor way to teach programming is still bothering me. 
>
I said that, yes.  But not, I think, in the way that you heard it.  I 
think, again, that the introduction to programming at a college level 
should be an introduction to programming, not remedial mathematics.

Art