On Jun 18, 2013, at 8:09 PM, Bruce Fleming wrote:

> Another alternative for learning Python is CodeAcademy.com. Their beginne=
r's
> Python tutorials are easy enough at many ages, in my opinion. Try it and =
see.

My own son has been doing the codecademy.com python class, so I was obliged=
 to follow along and try it as well.  I wasn't very impressed.  While it pr=
obably does an OK job of teaching python syntax/etc to an experienced progr=
ammer, it does very little to introduce the general concepts of computer pr=
ogramming, which are (IMO) somewhat necessary for a beginner.  (also, it do=
esn't seem to have a mechanism for submitting "assignments" that are anythi=
ng other than actual code, so I don't see how one could develop a "segment"=
 that taught something like "what is a variable" for which an appropriate q=
uiz would have multiple-choice answers.)
Also, I perceive that much of "using" a modern object-oriented language lik=
e python consists

Why is there so much "barely adequate" "instructional" software, rather tha=
n some clear standard?  I swear people are chasing video, proportional font=
s, rainbow backgrounds, and cute screen transitions, while the macro-10 les=
sons I took on an ASR33 in the 1970s were just as effective.  Sigh.

(hey.  Plato lives: http://www.cyber1.org/ ! (?))

BillW



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