[Edu-sig] Python in the news...

[kirby urner]

On Mon, Dec 6, 2010 at 5:44 AM, Vern Ceder <vceder at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> In a surprise move, our local paper actually accepted one of our invitations
> to come see what we do in Comp Sci at the secondary level, namely our Python
> elective, which is mostly for first time programmers. The resulting article
> isn't bad, given that the kids were certain the reporter didn't understand a
> word they told her... ;)
> links to the web and printable version are here:
> web - http://www.jg.net/article/20101206/LOCAL04/312069949
> printable -
> http://www.jg.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101206/LOCAL04/312069949&template=printart
> Cheers,
> Vern
> --
> Vern Ceder
> vceder at gmail.com, vceder at dogsinmotion.com
> The Quick Python Book, 2nd Ed - http://bit.ly/bRsWDW


Hi Vern --

That's a cool little article.  I wrote this Python program to provide
an applause track for ya
(I think I spelled "shriek" wrong):

== forvern.py ==

import threading
from random import choice, randint
import time

noises = ["Bravo!\n","Clap Clap\n","Yay!\n","whistle\n","shreek\n"]

class AudiencePerson( threading.Thread):

    def __init__(self, an, interval):
        self.applause_noise = an
        self.interval = interval
        super(AudiencePerson, self).__init__()

    def run(self):
        for i in range(5):
            print self.getName() + ": " + self.applause_noise
            time.sleep(self.interval)

def testme():
    for i in range(10):
        AudiencePerson(choice(noises), randint(0,5)/10.).start()
    return

if __name__ == "__main__":
    testme()

===

Now if I could just turn that into a COM object (seriously, I'm trying to figure
out how to call movingballs2.py, a Vpython script, from Visual FoxPro).

I also passed on news of said article to an English teacher friend...

Excerpt from outbox:

---

A guy named Jon Birdsong with startup OpenStudy (OpenStudy.com) was in
contact through Python list and I clued him re Martian Math.  My hit
counter jumped from like 1000 to 2000 though I don't know for sure
there's any correlation.

I referred him to the article on Vern Ceder.  Excerpt (fixed typos):

"""
Here's a good one:

http://www.jg.net/article/20101206/LOCAL04/312069949

Vern is our "watcher" (keying off Giles of Buffy VS), keeps a lookout
for talent wanted to have posters at a Pycon.

I mention his role in my briefing to GIS in Action / 2009:

http://www.4dsolutions.net/presentations/gis_2009_workshop.pdf
(EduPython track slide, lots more on PN)
"""

Letter exchange on Wikieducator list (how our correspondence began):

http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator/msg/3601e5b274b6190a?hl=en

---

All in a day's work,

Kirby