On 9/24/06, Arthur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In both our battles - yours against the TI calculator, and mine against > the 3d Ninja Turtles - VPython-like functionality is essential. It > demostrates to your Problems that we are working with something with > out-of-the-box more power than what they are committed to, and > demostrates to my Problems that, being committed to working with and > teaching about abstraction, we are progressive in the tools we use to do > so - could be doing EA huminoid avatars and anthromorphic turtles if we > chose but choose not, because they are distractions in addressing, > teaching and exploring the world of abstraction. > > Making both those statements by the inclusion of vpython-like > functionality in the standard distribution is to me a business decision, > and a good one. > > Art
We simply disagree on strategy, and not by much. You focus on the python.org download or core + standard library as "the distro" whereas I'm thinking more in terms of a complete Linux or other operating system bundle (Microsoft not precluded from distros -- that's what the vendors do, e.g. HP includes Python as a part of its default XP distro, on Pavilions and such). I'm happy to have VPython in the distro (mix), I just don't think bloating the python.org install file is the way to go. Get a whole computer already outfitted, or rely on school IS (information services) to burn a Gold Disk locally, with everything the faculty has agreed is a keeper. Plus faculty gets to go out on the Internet for more experimental stuff. Vpython is not languishing in obscurity because it's not in the default installer. The barriers are more cultural than technical. Lots of schools have broadband and could be running Pygeo tomorrow if the admins were OK with it. But they're not, and not because of anything to do with Euclid or Klein, both already safely defanged and property of the Ivory Tower. But as I've said before, the whole culture of open source software is still eyed with suspicion, in part because local biz moguls have done their darnedest to make sure it's perceived as Communist or something else scary. I've fought that by reminding people that Snakes on a Plane are inherently even scarier yet i.e. we're capable of something more home grown (i.e. let's stop blaming the Russians for kwel). But that strategy only flies with some audiences. Anyway, I think I should come up with a PEP proposing we rename Standard Library to Forlorn Little Graveyard. Then people might refocus and stop treating it like a Hall of Fame. If you wanna be famous in Python Nation, don't suppose inclusion in the Standard Library is your last/only chance. Agitate for inclusion on a distro, get your work linked, noticed, included. Give use the screencasts about it (e.g. on youtube or video.google). In sum, whereas I think Pygeo has many distribution options, I think trying to bloat the default installer with Vpython is *not* the most efficacious route to that end. You'd do better to team with like-minded math profs on your end, and do an Arthur Siegel Distro, or call it something else. Branding is an art form and I won't pretend to tell you how to run your business from this long distance. Kirby _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list Edu-sig@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig