What is different with Python ?

[Peter Hansen]

Mike Meyer wrote:
> Andrea Griffini <agriff at tin.it> writes:
>>Also concrete->abstract shows a clear path; starting
>>in the middle and looking both up (to higher
>>abstractions) and down (to the implementation
>>details) is IMO much more confusing.
> 
> So you're arguing that a CS major should start by learning electronics
> fundamentals, how gates work, and how to design hardware(*)? 

No, Andrea means you need to learn physics, starting perhaps with basic 
quantum mechanics and perhaps with some chemistry thrown in (since you 
can't really understand semiconductors without understanding how they're 
built, right?).  Oh, and manufacturing.  And a fundamental understanding 
of scanning electron microscopes (for inspection) would be helpful as 
well.  I think probably a Ph.D. level training in mathematics might be a 
good start also, since after all this is the foundation of much of 
computing.  A while later comes the electronics, and then memory management.

Things like while loops and if statements, and *how to actually write a 
program* are, of course, only the eventual outcome of all that good 
grounding in "the basics" that you need first.

<big wink>

-Peter