[Edu-sig] PyWhip - Keep on crackin' it!!

[kirby urner]

> At 01:35 PM 3/4/2009 -0800, kirby urner wrote:
>
>>This idea of "running Python over the web" doesn't seem necessary to
>>me, not sure why people think that's so important.
>
> I started to do this as a downloadable program, then Athar jumped in and said he could do it just as easily in Google App Engine.  He did in one weekend what took several weeks on my own server in an earlier project.
>

Yeah, GAE seems a capable platform.  In Portland, we're doing
DemocracyLab using it.

> The advantage of a web-based program is you don't have to download or install anything.

This is true, but I think if you're not going to download Python and
actually run it locally, then you're mostly just kidding yourself if
you think you're committed to learning it.

That being said, having a server running locally (including GAE, which
is designed to work on your laptop as well) is a great idea.  If
you're connected to some remote curriculum using this configuration,
well, that's what Subversion is for (like with Django, just ask for an
update and ye shall receive).

> A small annoyance, for sure, but it adds up when we are making updates every day.  Also, if we get serious about teaching Python to a class, the ability to check student progress online is critical.  There are frameworks for doing automated testing (Web-CAT, etc.) but I like the way JavaBat does it so much better.
>

I'm more interested in students than teachers.  I'd encourage them to
download Python locally, update curriculum source using some checkout
procedure, if that's what's required.

But as I said, I agree with running server-side code, even in student
mode, as a lot of what Python is about is nesting in Apache or
whatever.   Lots of people doing demos at PPUG and so on are using a
server thats "running something" I notice.  httpd is a daemon everyone
should have.

>>Anyway, best wishes on catching up in Arizona.  Someday you'll be in
>>the same league as Oregon!  Something to look forward to.
>
> I hadn't thought of the project as having any particular location.

We're into branding.  Portland is FOSS capital and blah blah.  We're
proud to be lightyears ahead in this respect.  I agree not every
locale is this proud of itself or into flaunting its wares.

> I guess you could say it is as much in Pakistan right now as in Arizona.  U of A has nothing to do with it, and I don't expect it will be used there either, unless maybe my CS2 project gets some support.  Then it will be useful as a quick transition from Java to Python, so we can spend most of our time on science and engineering.
>
> -- Dave

Sounds like you've got it figured out, not for me to back seat drive.

I just don't see a need to invest in running Python as a bare
interpreter over the web so much, unless we're talking about ssh, then
python in bash.  YMMV of course.

Portland State gives me a classroom, SA staff makes sure each
workstation gets Python, VPython, POV-Ray.  I bring my laptop (Ubuntu)
and hook it to the classroom projector.  We have full internet access
and may download additional modules during class, including from my
FOSS stash @ Oregon Curriculum Network.  That's been my setup for some
years and it works well.  If things change, I may be looking for new
configurations down the road.

Kirby