checking if a list is empty

[D'Arcy J.M. Cain]

On Wed, 11 May 2011 16:24:47 -0500
harrismh777 <harrismh777 at charter.net> wrote:
> D'Arcy J.M. Cain wrote:
>     Non-programmers should not be expected to program in 'C' nor in lisp...
> 
>     ... but non-programmers were able to program in BASIC jes fine...

They still had to learn the language.

> I contend that non-programmers are able to learn rudimentary python and 
> work with it to solve real problems 'without' formal training in 
> 'programming'.

When did the discussion shift from "learn the language" to "formal
training?"  How you learn the language is totally irrelevant.

> Python is the New BASIC for 'people'. At least, it has the potential to 
> be that...   people should be able to talk to their computers (whatever 
> we mean by that) and have the computer respond with real-world 
> solutions.  We need to move away from 'canned apps' to a new day where 
> the masses can sit down to their computer and solve new problems with it 
> through intuitive language skills.  Why not?

That's not programming.  That's using a canned app that a programmer
wrote that takes your unstructured input and does something useful with
it.  Spreadsheets are a primitive example of that.  Google is a more
advanced example.

-- 
D'Arcy J.M. Cain <darcy at druid.net>         |  Democracy is three wolves
http://www.druid.net/darcy/                |  and a sheep voting on
+1 416 425 1212     (DoD#0082)    (eNTP)   |  what's for dinner.