[Edu-sig] creating an interface vs. using one

[Radenski, Atanas]

From: edu-sig-bounces at python.org on behalf of Michel Paul
> Also - our school is building a new math/science/technology center.  I see Python as an excellent kind of thing to get
> people to explore.  I attended the SciPy conference at CalTech in August, just to see what kind of things were going on,
> and it was amazing.  But no one at school seems to care.  It's weird.  I feel like I've found this treasure, and I keep saying to
> people, "Hey!  I've found this treasure!"  But no one cares.  It's so weird.
 
Michel,
 
I do not think it is weird that your school does not care about Python. It is natural. People normally do *not* care about answers to questions that they never asked. Simply offering something that you believe is cool (Python in this case) is not going to work with adults/administrators.
 
I would suggest that you think of a concrete problem that your department chair is facing. She certainly has some problems to solve as a chair and she certainly would be open to possible solution. Is retention a problem? Is diminishing student interest a problem? You have to identify her problems and then try to convince her how and why Python can be the solution to those problems.
 
Just believing that Python is cool, beautiful, and useful may not do it. But addressing some real concrete needs of your school can do it. They may get quite interested.
 
Show them how Python is a solution to their problem(s).
 
Atanas