Python in "math through programming" curriculum

[Kirby Urner]

"Clifford J. Nelson" <cnelson9 at gte.net> wrote:

>I don't think Python should be a standard at all, because of
>my experience with it on the Mac. Keep the options open for
>computer programming languages.
>

Keeping options open is fine (using Python to open doors
to other languages is a good way to go as well).  I don't
use Python for much of my programming work, but as one 
who used to write 8th grade level "math through programming" 
stuff for McGraw-Hill in the 1980s (using BASIC and Logo), 
I can say without a doubt that Python would have been 
pure gold for us.

Python on the Mac was disappointing for me for the brief
30 minutes I tried it.  IDLE is a great learning environment
and on Windows and Linux is in color, but on the Mac seemed 
to be all one color.  Was I missing a setting?  Maybe the Mac
people are working on alternatives/enchancements to IDLE?
Does anyone have some info on this?

>Both of those languages are OOP too, and easier to use than Python.
>

How much personal experience to you have with all three,
or are you reporting the assessments of others?  Do you have
a website where you show your work, review your experiences?  
I'm not sure I need to attach much weight to any of your 
opinions.  Others around here (such as the previous respondant 
to your post) seem to know a great deal more about these 
languages than you do, and I've never seen you post anything 
that suggests you've done much with Python, either.

Kirby