Python newbie help

[Mel Wilson]

In article <hhhb11-5g3.ln1 at beastie.ix.netcom.com>,
Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>        Whereas I'd find a text that basically follows your desired scheme to
>be the boring, non-motivational one. Anything that basically says:
>
>        We are going to produce a program to do XYZ.
>
>        Here's the code for step one...
>
>        Here's the code for step two...
>
>        Here's the modifications to the code in step one to use the code in
>step two...
>
>        This may be sufficient to learn the syntax of the language, but it is
>not teaching me how to /think/.

   The deadly " ... By Example" books.  I think these are
even a crummy way to learn syntax, because I don't believe
syntax can effectively be split away from thinking.

   I think book editors like them for their strong story
lines.  I think beginners like them because, seeing all that
code, they think they're getting the Real Thing.  But
finally such books have everything to do with the author's
programs, and nothing to do with my programs.  As soon as I
try to do something the author didn't I find the book has
left me stranded.  I'm stuck with imagining some possible
syntax consistent with what I've seen, and fiddling with
random changes until something seems to work.

   My hat's off to Daniel D. McCracken.

        Regards.        Mel.