Python and Ruby

[Robert Kern]

On 2010-02-04 14:55 PM, Jonathan Gardner wrote:
> On Feb 3, 3:39 pm, Steve Holden<st... at holdenweb.com>  wrote:
>> Robert Kern wrote:
>>> On 2010-02-03 15:32 PM, Jonathan Gardner wrote:
>>
>>>> I can explain all of Python in an hour; I doubt anyone will understand
>>>> all of Python in an hour.
>>
>>> With all respect, talking about a subject without a reasonable chance of
>>> your audience understanding the subject afterwards is not explaining.
>>> It's just exposition.
>>
>> I agree. If the audience doesn't understand then you haven't explained it.
>
> On the contrary, that explanation would have everything you need. It
> would take an hour to read or listen to the explanation, but much more
> than that time to truly understand everything that was said.

Like I said, that's exposition, not explanation. There is an important 
distinction between the two words. Simply providing information is not 
explanation. If it takes four hours for your audience to understand it, then you 
explained it in four hours no matter when you stopped talking.

-- 
Robert Kern

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
  that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
  an underlying truth."
   -- Umberto Eco