Newsgroup for beginners

[Tim Chase]

>  1) Start by complaining that your program doesn't work because
>     of a bug in Python.

1b) Omit the fact that this is a homework problem, and you want 
c.l.p to do your homework for you

>  4) Once people start to get annoyed that you won't post any
>     example code showing the problem you're having, then you
>     post code.
> 
>      a) Post lots of code.  The bigger the program the better;
>         try for at least 500 lines -- but make sure that you
>         leave out a few functions and "import" some libraries
>         nobody has ever heard of.
> 
>      b) Post code that doesn't match the code who's behaviour
>         you're describing (remember: be vague and be careful
>         not to actually show real input or output at this
>         point).
> 
>      c) For maximum effect try to make sure that what you post
>         won't compile by inserting typos and changing the
>         indentation in a few places.

d) you post a link to your uploaded code on some code-sharing 
site that requires the latest versions of JavaScript, Flash, 
Silverlight, Java, and requires cookies to be enabled just to 
read your flippin' code.

>      c) rather than cutting/pasting input and output, make sure
>         you manually retype it into your posting --
>         inaccurately.

[sheepish grin]  Guilty as charged on at least one occasion.


> It'll take several days and a fair bit of work, but you will be
> able to produce a some grouchy responses in c.l.p.

oh, shut up!  ;-)

> One will also get rather arcane answers when a poorly thought
> out question is answered literally.  IOW, somebody asks "how to
> I do B?" when B _really_ isn't something anybody is going to
> want to in Python, but if you twist the language around enough
> you can actually _do_ B (even if it's quite pointless).  The
> real question was "how do I accomplish A", but the poster
> having incorrectly assumed the answer is B, didn't ask "how do
> I accomplish A?"

"But why can't I use regular expressions to do...?" :-)

Even the best Pythoneers get grouchy ("This parrot wouldn't VOOM 
if you put 4 million volts through it!")

-tkc