[Tutor] Understanding the tutorial

[Alan Gauld]

> 2.1 Invoking the Interpreter
> is written with the unix programmer in mind.

Thats true. Most early web tools were based around Unix and many
still are. Unix is the best programmers OS without doubt. Therefore
many programmers use Unix systems even when delivering on another
one. (We developed the largest Windows NT system in our company
by building initially on Unix and then porting the code to MS VC++,
it wasn't until XP came out we finally moved the project to Windows)

> In windows I invoke the interpreter by clicking on the Python icon

But you can also start a DOS command prompt and type Pyton there.

> 2.1.1 Argument Passing
> Since I do have some unix experience, I understand the idea of a script 
> file
> but even so, it's not clear what should be in a Python script file.

The official tutorial is unambiguously aimed at experienced programmers.
It does asume that concepts like scripting etc are well understood.
Anyone who is less experienced shouyld try one of the gentler beginners
tutors first.

> Having some sample scripts in hyperlinks would be very useful.

I do agree the official tutor is short on longer examples. One liners are 
all
well and good but they don;t always give enough context.

> So far, the interactive mode has been more useful to me than the tutorial.

The >>> prompt is one of the insanely great features of Python. Only 
Smalltalk
beats it as a productive environment IMHO...

> 2.2.1 Error Handling
> I skipped over this paragraph since I had not yet encountered any errors

Now there's optimism for you! :-)

> 2.2.2 Executable Python Scripts
> Is written with unix programmer in mind.   I imagine the windows 
> programmer
> should use the dos prompt

Or just double click the file in explorer

> 2.2.3 Source Code Encoding
> At this point I just about gave up reading from cover to cover.
> I have no idea what this paragraph is talking about.

I had to go look it up! I couldn't remember what it was.

> an ongoing dialogue, taking the tutorial one small piece at a time.

It might be useful, but many of your comments come down to
1) The Tutorial is Unix biased - no argument there
2) The tutorial is aimed at experienced programmers so assumes a
    lot of past experience/knowledge.

There are other tutorials that take things from a less Unix/Professional
angle(my own included!) and you might find those easier to deal with.

HTH,

Alan G
Author of the learn to program web tutor
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld