On 5/5/06, Paul D. Fernhout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > compromises with. Will PySqueak be a compromise or an innovation (or > both)? It remains to be seen. > > Trying to keep this short, but failing. :-) > > --Paul Fernhout
I think we may be on different planets but I'm not sure. :-D As I understand it, PySqueak is not about changing existing Python syntax. Python syntax is controlled by Guido working with pydev people, and is moving towards Python 3000, so-called. The changes are incremental and have nothing much to do with the PySqueak effort. The PySqueak effort (badly named?) is more like the VPython effort. Its aim is to give us a sophisticated back end graphics engine to dink around with. Given this engine, Python developers might write apps friendlier to young children, using animation and almost-no-typing-needed interfaces. We could compete with the newer Logos, which leave the older ones in the dust, visually speaking. The very same engine would have lots of applications in an adult context as well. This is NOT about Python changing significantly as a language, moving to some new paradigm or yadda yadda. In my view, Python is a mature language undergoing consolidation, is not on the brink of some major overhaul. True, it's being reimplemented in C# for some platforms, as it was in Java (with Jim's leadership in both cases). The new graphics engine I envision might well be an outgrowth of that Mono/.NET effort. Only time will tell. In the meantime, we already have working, Ubuntu-compatible versions of Logo, Squeak and Python. My info is the Shuttleworth Foundation is in no way holding its breath waiting for these newer tools to come over the horizon, exciting though these may be. In terms of going ahead with implementation, we already have sufficient toyz. Curriculum writing is proceeding apace on that basis. Kirby _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list [email protected] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
