[Idle-dev] Py-CVS Release 2.1 Merge

[David Scherer]

There should be two separate ways (e.g. two separate start menu icons on
Windows) to start the editor and the shell.  I believe there is already
a way to start in shell mode using different command line arguments.

The VPython idle starts in editor mode by default because the shell mode
does not provide remote execution (which is essential for us) and
because Bruce and Ruth were not interested in the shell as a pedagogical
tool*.  

Dave

* Because of the irreversibility of actions: unlike in an editor, "undo"
doesn't, and correcting a mistake can sometimes be impossible.  The
"responsiveness" of a shell, on the other hand, is very nice for
learning, so we tried to get as much of that as possible into the
editing environment (e.g. with single-key run).  The preferred use of
the editor is then to re-run the program after every few lines of code!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: idle-dev-admin@python.org 
> [mailto:idle-dev-admin@python.org] On Behalf Of Guido van Rossum
> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2001 10:46 AM
> To: Kurt B. Kaiser
> Cc: idle-dev@python.org
> Subject: Re: [Idle-dev] Py-CVS Release 2.1 Merge
> 
> 
> > I believe the Release 2.1 Merge is completed, though not tested.
> > 
> > The idlefork repository has been tagged: py-cvs-rel2_1-merged
> 
> When I start it now, I get an "untitled" editing window 
> instead of the Python Shell window.  I can get the Shell 
> window via the Windows menu, but the editing window is kind 
> of uninviting.  Is this a feature?  I want my shell back! :-)
> 
> --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)
> 
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