In response to the OP with considerations for budget and the target learner: * At this stage in operating systems and python setups, I posit that the easiest and most meritorious path is to use a "beginner's Linux" that is easy to install and focuses on a good desktop experience. The best offering in this area right now is Linux Mint (version 16, "Cinnamon" edition http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php).
* You are in a *very* good area for finding a quality laptop on Craigslist. I lived in Arlington from 2008-2012 and purchased computer equipment almost exclusively on the 2nd hand market as it is flooded with recent cast-offs from well-off techies who sell last generation stuff for a fraction of what you would pay new. You should be able to find an Intel core i3/i5 based laptop in the $225 range locally if you keep an eye out for a few days. * High resolution screens are nice but will price you out, so just look for a typical 15.4" laptop since it will provide a decent sized keyboard and even if it's only 1366x768, the bigger screen makes it easier on the eyes when first learning to program. It also makes it easier for those who may be watching over her shoulder to help. * I would vote against a Chrome OS based device for a number of practical reasons when considering a computer for learning how to do anything, but especially coding. I hope this helps, - Kodiak On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 9:27 PM, Steven D'Aprano <st...@pearwood.info> wrote: > On Wed, Feb 05, 2014 at 06:34:49PM +0000, Colin Chinsammy wrote: > > > I am considering purchasing the Acer c720 chromebook for my 13yo to > > begin learning Python for Kids. Obviously I am on a budget. Is this a > > good choice for a complete beginner? Any particular challenges that > > she might encounter using a chromebook OS? Any advice would be greatly > > appreciated. As I have researched my way into confusion. > > I've never used Chromebook, and I'm philosophically and practically > opposed to any system which works "on the cloud" instead of on a > machine I control. > > More importantly, how are your daughter's skills? Is she interested > in programming? I've seen too many people decide that because their son > or daughter is browsing Facebook all the time, they must be "good with > computers". Don't be one of them :-) > > If you can afford a MacBook, it is probably the best for people who are > not technically minded, as well as those who are. Some of the computer > techs and programmers I work with wouldn't be caught dead without their > Mac. > > If your daughter is really interested in the technical side of > computers, and wants to roll up her sleeves and understand *everything* > about how modern computers work, Linux is probably the best system to go > for. You can run a modern, up-to-date Linux system on a two or five year > old laptop, and with a few careful choices and tweaks, have just as good > or better performance than Windows on a brand-new laptop. > > In my experience, in order of preference, I would say: > > Debian-based Linux (best) > Other Linux > Mac OS > Windows (worst) > > with ChromeOS an unknown. But when I say Windows is the worst for Python > programming, that doesn't mean you can't do it. It just means that there > may be a few bumps in the road that you don't get with other systems. > > > -- > Steven > _______________________________________________ > Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org > To unsubscribe or change subscription options: > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor >
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