|Let me conclude with a question: what *should* be in a newbie-friendly
|> Python IDE? If you were writing one, what would you like to see in it?
|>Well, that is a good point. I suppose everyone will have a differing |>opinion on that, particularly in terms of goals. For me, I'd like to |>see a single package, which includes a GUI designer, script editor |>with colorizing, debugger, interactive console, some sort of module |>browser for functions and syntax, resource viewer, something similar |>to package manager... and a basic set of modules for x-plat |>development work. Then, some tool which helps to output the whole |>thing as a runtime package.
|>I realize that is asking a lot. I really do.
I agree its a good question, and I agree its asking a lot.
So let's start from the bottom, sticking with the bare essentials required by a newbie (who may not want an overly-ornate macromedia-like environment anyway.).
(Preface: * On windows I was very happy with Scite. On the mac, Scite was sluggish, and crashed.
* On windows I there was only one flavor of python, and VPython (which is to my mind the purest expression of pythonic newbie-friendly simplicity) just worked. On the mac there are (too) many flavors of python and they can trounce each other. Even the "looks and feels" (e.g, X11 idle vs "OSX" vs command line) vary. It is sad and ironic that within-python, windows offers the python programmer a more consistent mac-like user experience than the mac does. This is even sadder because I think there is are natural esthetic and community affinities between the mac mac and python communities.)
So in prioritized order (numbers are prioritized; letter ordering is not)
1a. A peppy native aqua, crash-free text editor with optional syntax highlighting
1b. A single easy and obvious configuring of the python memory environment. (.pth? sys.path? site module? gimme a break!)
2a. an under-the-hood solution to, or hiding of, the dueling pythons. (Maybe that means installing modules in two locations?)
2b. The text editor should support code folding (to best exploit python's most distinctive and valuable feature) via keystrokes.
3a. Command R runs the current script.
3b. Keys can be rebound simply, e.g. by editing a text file
3c. Errors take you to the offending line.
4. An easy to use, pythonic gui system that will carry cross platform.
5a. Easy variable tracing
5b. A full stepping debugger.
5c. Some kind of simple versioning (such as saving automatic incrementally numbered backups)
6. What he said. But, as noted, that's asking a lot. I'd be happy with 1+...
Notes:
Today, Smultron gives me #1
1b bites me periodically but I'm brain-damaged already so I don't feel the pain very often
2a is a scandal (even if no one in particular is to blame)
3a Command R can wait for the third tier because I have a trick: I run a script "onchange.py python somefile.py" which runs somefile.py whenever I save the file. But a newbie wouldn't know how to create this script.
4. AnyGui seemed like a really good idea to me.
5a and 5b: the point of mentioning these is to show how LOW a priority they are relative to the prior basic usability issues.
I'm not complaining here, so much as trying to raise consciousness about lost opportunities and newbie frustrations to which afficionados in the mature python community are, almost by definition, blinded.
Also, I'm speculating but not presuming that this is the right prioritization. Your comments?
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