> Python IS a GREAT language to start out with ... but > simply put, the lack of GUI means only the most > committed students get anything out of it without alot > of coercing from me.
Also, on the GUI front, I think a nice compromise, if you're not wanting to code up inside of Tk (e.g. with John's graphics.py) or wx, is to do cgi and use the browser as your GUI. Even with a whiz bang GUI, there's still a question: what does your program *do*? i.e. what's the GUI about? One needs at least *some* guts behind the cosmetics. As a FoxPro programmer, I know the appeal of dragging widgets from palettes the Microsoft way. Speaking of FoxPro, I'd choose VFP over VB any day for teaching. The language let's you define classes, not just use objects (VB .NET is just catching up), plus you've got all the project management tools, even though it's not inside Visual Studio. Plus you've got a better interactive environment, embedded SQL and I think a cleaner syntax (OK, I'm biased). Indeed, I was well on the way towards pushing VFP as the teaching language of tomorrow when I discovered Python. Here's an article left over from that chapter, about VFP + POV-Ray: http://foxpro.advisor.com/doc/05315 (print issue: March 1999) Kirby _______________________________________________ Edu-sig mailing list [email protected] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig
