[Tutor] Regarding learning python

[David L Neil]

On 31/01/20 2:55 PM, Mats Wichmann wrote:
> On 1/30/20 2:32 PM, Alan Gauld via Tutor wrote:
> 
>> The official tutorial is very good if you can already program
>> in another language. But it is not so good for total beginners.
>> Thats where the non programmers page comes into play...
> 
> The problem with any recommendation any one of us could give is that
> everyone learns differently. What works for some doesn't work for
> others. Specifically, a vast number of really good Python programmers
> have learned the language from the "official" tutorial, but I find parts
> of it terrible now I look back at it.  For example, the chapter on
> classes gets rolling by contrasting Python's approach to Smalltalk and
> Modula-3. As if that would be of any actual use to almost anyone these
> days. That sets a bad tone right off the bat - Modula-3? So What. I
> really don't like pointing people at it any longer (Modula-3 not being
> the main reason, of course).  I'd point to Alan's material over it, to
> be sure :)


OK, so will you now tell us what was the (large) present Alan sent you 
for Christmas?
(joke)


You are absolutely correct. However, coders, and indeed systems 
programmers, rarely make the best tutors/user documentation authors - 
and after coding some update to Python (or a PSL library), how much time 
would be 'left over' for writing docs anyway? (thinking of a number of 
places where I've worked...) There is a Python project team dedicated to 
improving 'our documentation'. (who would no doubt appreciate any and 
all 'open source' contributions!)


Yes, it is intensely annoying to find design (only) rationale, eg we 
wanted this because SmallTalk had it, jtest, ... Such requires expansion 
in user docs - why did SmallTalk have it? So, say that! What advantages 
does it confer? etc, etc.

This goes 'double' when such blather (largely more to establish the 
author's 'credentials' than to enable the reader) appears in some 
article or tutorial, purporting to "explain".

That said, I take the feed from PlanetPython. The number of 'updates' 
which are announced, but which don't explain what the library actually 
does, is a frequent source of dismay (and motivation to hit the Del(ete) 
key!)


Imagine approaching a business-owner to justify porting feature-xyz from 
SmallTalk to Python? The process is flawed - and likely the project 
floored! The business-boys do have advice to offer though: to quickly 
grab attention, they talk about an "elevator pitch". 
(https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/elevator-pitch.htm)


Sadly, writing 'grabbing' docs, ANN(nouncements), training courses, etc, 
is an under-stated skill (and one which too many of our 'authors', do 
not actually possess/exhibit).
-- 
Regards =dn