On Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 6:47 PM, Chris Calloway <c...@unc.edu> wrote: > On 6/17/2011 11:03 PM, Noah Hall wrote: >> >> On Sat, Jun 18, 2011 at 2:15 AM, Steven D'Aprano<st...@pearwood.info> >> wrote: >>> >>> Noah Hall wrote: >>> >>>> Just a note, but are these questions jokes? >>>> >>>>> Know how to use a text editor (not a word processor, but a text >>>>> editor)? >>>>> Know how to use a browser to download a file? >>>>> Know how to run a program installer? >>>> >>>> If not, then I'd consider removing them. This isn't 1984. >>> >>> I think the questions are fine. It indicates the level of technical >>> knowledge required -- not much, but more than just the ability to sign in >>> to >>> AOL. >>> >>> In 1984 the newbies didn't know anything about computers *and knew they >>> didn't know*, but now you have people who think that because they can >>> write >>> a letter in Microsoft Office and save as HTML, they're expert at >>> programming. >>> >>> I wish I were joking but I've had to work for some of them. >> >> That's true, I suppose, but in that case the rest of the questions are >> out of place. >> >> I believe that someone who knows what environmental variables are and >> how to change them is a huge step up from someone who knows how to >> *download things*. >> > > Mr. Hall, > > I've taught Python to over a thousand students. And these questions, which > are on the PyCamp site and not in the previous email to this list, are not > only not the slightest bit out of place or jokes, but rather necessary. We > didn't start out asking these questions of prospective students. They were > developed from experience. > > As far as 1984, plenty of people in 1984 knew what environment variables > were and how to change them without knowing how to use a browser to download > anything. :) What is a "step up" is a matter of perspective. We get not a > lot but plenty enough people coming to PyCamp whose last experience with > using a computer was 1984. It's simple courtesy to warn those people of what > to expect. > > Thank you for your concern.
1984 was not to be taken literally, of course. ;) Well, if you decide that in this day and age that asking whether someone knows how to use a browser to download files, or if someone knows how to install a program, then that's entirely up to you. I am merely in disbelief that you could find someone these days interested enough in computers to learn Python, and yet not know how to download a file. Had they been in jest, I would have understood, you know, something along the lines of "Want to learn Python? Well, there's only one thing you need to know - how to read!". But when taking it in seriousness, I must congratulate you on somehow finding these people; I had no idea they still existed. ;) Regards, Noah. _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org To unsubscribe or change subscription options: http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
