Python in "math through programming" curriculum

[Clifford J. Nelson]

Kirby Urner wrote:
> 
> "Clifford J. Nelson" <cnelson9 at gte.net> wrote:
> 
> >> I went to this website.  It doesn't work for the Mac at all --
> >> Windows only.  So what's your beef with Python on the Mac?
> >> At least it exists for the Mac.
> >
> >That's why I don't attach ANY weight to what you write!
> >Clean used to be a "Mac first product", and Version 1.3.x
> >soon to be updated to Version 2.0 runs on the Mac. You would
> >know that it runs on the Mac if you could just read.
> >
> 
> The latest version with the fancy games library doesn't
> run on the Mac yet (or Linux either).  Older versions
> do, yes, I see that.
> 
> I thought maybe you were advocating Clean for kids because
> of the games angle -- what I asked you about.  Apparently
> not so, given the older Clean suits your purposes (what
> do you do with it??).
> 
> >> Do you think this emphasis on game programming is better
> >> than my "math through programming" approach?  It seems to
> 
> So then... what's so attractive about Clean, from your
> personal experience?  I'm just asking.  You haven't said
> anything about that yet (older versions run on the Mac...
> ... ... so?).
> 
> Python runs on the Mac too (the latest version even).
> 
> http://www.python.org/download/download_mac.html
> http://www.python.org/doc/current/mac/mac.html
> 
> << repeated text snipped >>

I'll just repeat it again. Maybe it will sink in eventually.

I take it personally when Bucky Fuller's Synergetics (see a)
is made to seem like some far out religion, by you Kirby
Urner, or anyone else, or when computer programming in a
language (Python) that can't apparently help itself well
enough to use it to make a good interactive programming
environment for the Mac, is promoted over much easier
languages, like Clean (see b) or Object Caml 3.0 (see c) or
even the hard to learn J programming language (see d).

All of those languages (including Python) are garbage
compared to Mathematica of course, because programming (OOP)
is all just really pattern matching and replacement (see e),
but they're free and they work on both the Mac and Windows,
so they are worth looking at.

a) http://www.rwgrayprojects.com/synergetics/synergetics.html
b) http://www.deene.ufu.br/clean/clean1.html
c) http://pauillac.inria.fr/caml/
d) http://www.jsoftware.com/
e) http://www.stephenwolfram.com/publications/talks/IMS/imstalk.html

Of course, when I say "look at them", I mean download the
version that runs on your computer, read all the
documentation, and try programming with them for a year or
two like I have. Then you won't have to ask so many simple questions.

  Cliff Nelson 
[snip]