[Tutor] Trouble getting started (fwd)

[alan.gauld@bt.com]

> From: Gregor Lingl [mailto:glingl@aon.at]
> If you work qith IDLE you have thoroughly to distinguish to different
> modes of working:
> 1. Interactive Python Interpreter
> 2. A completely different thing is writing programs, or scripts:
>     a) Open a "File|New Window"   A NEW WINDOW!!!

This is very true and a common cause for confusion. I've 
had two mails from students of my tutor in the past week 
falling over this very issue. They tried to save/execute 
the shell window. The problem is that IDLE allows you 
to do this, then reports an error on the banner message!

It would be much more sensible if the Python Shell window 
greyed out the RUN menu option... That way beginners 
wouldn't try to run the shell. Of course they can still 
save/open it and have the same pronblem - ideally the 
shell window should have a save session option instead 
of the usual save as...(see my previous post).

But I am certainly seeing lots of beginners trying to 
save the shell window and then run it!

Alan g.
Author of the 'Learning to Program' web site
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld