Python competitions and learnings

[Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn]

harrismh777 wrote:

> Terry Reedy wrote:
>>> And Im looking for feedback from peoples who best in python. Here I
>>> make some video tutorial about this service http://checkio.blip.tv/
>>> 
>>> What do you think about it?
>> 
>> Pretty impressive. My main disappointment is that you are using 2.7
>> instead of 3.2, as I feel that beginners should learn Py 3 now. Also,
>> that is what I routinely use ;-).
>> 
>> In any case, the home page should say Python 2.7, not just Python,
> 
> I agree on all points, as well I would offer the suggestion to have
> parallel examples (in some cases) to help those trying to merge over to
> Python3.
> 
> But the most important point is that new users should start with 3.x,
> and should be encouraged to in that direction alone. I am finding it
> very frustrating trying to make all of the details changes solid in my
> mind for 3.x because there are so many of them for one, and for another
> because the details are so similar all at the same time. *Do not*
> confuse new learners with 2.x unless there is a point to it... for
> instance in our previous discussion of iterables-- noting that next() is
> the same for both versions, but in 2.x next(N) means N.next() and in
> version 3.x next(N) means N.__next__().
> 
> Otherwise, have new students hit 3.x running and never look back.

A more down-to-earth recommendation can be found at 

<http://wiki.python.org/moin/Python2orPython3>

The bottom line of this for me is that while Python 3 has its advantages, at 
this point not only you cannot use Py3 everywhere, but also you still cannot 
do everything in Py3 that you can do in Py2 (most notably, you cannot create 
or process images, as PIL¹ is not yet Py3-ready).  Meaning that it would be 
a mistake to exclude Python 2 from education at this point.

_____
¹ <http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/>

-- 
PointedEars

Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail. / Please do not Cc: me.