[Pythonmac-SIG] Mac User Python Newbies

[Louis Pecora]

Bob Ippolito wrote:

> Well, either the current state if Python tools is good enough or it 
> isn't.  Perhaps the threat of a new user not sticking with Python is 
> suitable motivation for some developers, but obviously not all of 
> them, because then Python would do everything for everyone already :)
>
> Python has been getting better tools and easier to pick up over the 
> years.  How could this possibly put it in "danger of ceding the next 
> generation"?  So what if the Director or Revolution equivalent doesn't 
> spring from the ashes tomorrow?  When it does, it will be great, but 
> there's years worth of programmer years that go into such a product.  
> I'm not aware of such an effort, so it's probably not going to happen 
> very soon.
>
> Python does already ship with an IDE, IDLE, which is probably pretty 
> new user friendly and it does have the one feature that most of the 
> other IDEs don't have.  It runs sub-interpreters out of process by 
> default, so running GUI applications works.
>
> -bob 

You know a thought just hit me upon reading this and other emails about 
the Python environment.  I have a friend who has a Russian wife.  They 
went to buy a rug at Home Depot.  Lots of variety, thick pile, thin 
pile, patterns and weaves, colors, etc. etc. etc.   The whole situation 
which at first sounds wonderful was totally upsetting to  her.  "Too 
many choices!" she screamed and left the store.   Well, in Russia you 
had the choice of colors as long as it was grey or brown.   I'm not 
suggesting that the Python community should go to that extreme  :-) , 
but for newbies and even old-newbies like me, "Too many choices!"

-- 
Cheers,

Lou Pecora

Code 6362
Naval Research Lab
Washington, DC  20375
USA
Ph:  +202-767-6002
email:  pecora at anvil.nrl.navy.mil