Are rank noobs tolerated, here?

[notbob]

On 2008-05-06, hdante <hdante at gmail.com> wrote:

>  When you have a problem with your code, always post here the complete
> code and a complete execution. For example:

I'll keep this example.  Thnx.


>  /----------\  glued
> |  bruce   | ------> 42
>  \----------/
>
>  When you use a stamp, it returns what it's glued on:
>
> >>> bruce = 42  # glue a stamp
> >>> print bruce # use the stamp
>  42

>  'bruce' is a string (notice the quotes). In this case bruce is glued
> to 'bruce':
>
>  /----------\  glued
> |  bruce   | ------> 'bruce'
>  \----------/

The light is dawning.....  

>  Stupid. Not really. :-) I'd rather say that the problem is the book.

Well, me too, of course.  ;)  

> The book is just another introduction to programming. There's no
> special attempt to make the reader learn to think like a computer
> scientist.

Apparently, and I understand.  It's hard for someone who is very
knowledgable on a subject to remain in "explain it like they're 5 yrs old"
mode.  It's tedious and time consuming.

>> How am I supposed to get the original def to work?  I've yet to figure out

>  file myfile.py:
> -------------------------------
> def print_twice(bruce):
> 	print bruce, bruce
>
> print_twice('bruce')
> print_twice(2)
> -------------------------------
>
> execution:
> -------------------------------
> $ python myfile.py
> bruce bruce
> 2 2

BINGO!  (and it worked (after I got the indents right))

>  Finally, you don't understand something, ask again.

Thank you.  I really do appreciate your taking the time to break it down
so completely.  I found another python book (A Byte of Python) that keeps it
simple enough for me.  I'm not really a programmer, but I decided to do
something to challenge this old geezer brain and figured this would keep it
awake.  

I'd also like to thank all you other folks who responded.  I got some good
info and tips from all of you.  

nb